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New additions and much needed repairs are coming to Pleasure Island that officials hope bring in tourists as well as please locals who utilize the island for recreation.

A new playground in the style of the recently unveiled Lakefront Park will be constructed at 540 South Spoil Levee Road.

The area, which is near Logan Park off of T.B. Ellison Parkway, has endured storm damage through the years, according to George Davis, director of Pleasure Island.

The company that was approved to do the work is Kraftsman Commercial Playgrounds and Water Parks of Spring, Texas — the same company that created the playscape at Lakefront Park.

Davis said the new park on South Levee Road is smaller and would not have the ship-shaped piece of equipment but will have the same color scheme of navy blue and orange.

The playscape is something for small children to play on while their parents are at the nearby RV park or fishing pier.

Davis spoke with Kraftsman this week and said they would be using the same type of materials, which are known to handle the weather along the coast and not deteriorate.

The cost of the playscape is $56,616.75. Davis said the existing playscape is being demolished. The new one constructed will aid in the revitalization of Pleasure Island.

The playscape is expected to open in the spring.

Photo opportunity

Just as visitors to the Island make the curve off the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge to T.B. Ellison Parkway — which is the main road on the Island — they will one day see large letters spelling out Pleasure Island with the “I” missing.

The missing letter is the spot for visitors to stand in and have photos taken to post on social media. This project was announced last month and is courtesy of a $200,000 donation from Cheniere Energy.

Last week council approved accepting the Jefferson County Tourism Grant in the amount of $25,000 for improvements to the park.

The funding is earmarked for benches near the photo op area, where tourists can sit.

“This is to tie in to getting people to come back to the Island,” Davis said, adding people may even use something like #pleasureisland on social media.

Officials are working on the contract for the benches and the thought is to have the benches installed by the spring.

Gazebo

The gazebo at Lakefront Park that is in that same area has been a spot for residents and tourists to gather but like the playscapes it has seen hurricanes and become deteriorated.

As part of the Disc Golf Course renovation project, one of the Island’s other gazebos received a makeover, Davis said.

The gazebo at Lakefront Park is set for renovation through Preferred Facilities Group-USA of Beaumont for the projected cost of $29,875.

Davis said they are using the same company that repaired the gazebo at the Disc Golf Course. The structure gets a new roof and other needed repairs. The work will take about 10 days tentatively.

Roof

Council also recently approved the reroofing of the Pleasure Island office at 520 Pleasure Pier Blvd. for a projected cost of $39,531.33.

“Over the past decades, hurricanes and deterioration have severely damaged the roof of the Pleasure Island office,” Davis said.

The restrooms inside the gated Pleasure Island Marina have been reroofed already and the Pleasure Island office roof has several leaks.