STOCK ISLAND – Monroe County’s Bernstein Park on Stock Island will close Thursday, Sept. 1, for the start of a $7.9 million redevelopment project that will elevate the fields to prevent flooding and add a 5,500-square-foot community center.

Construction will take about a year, with completion slated for the summer of 2017. The park, located at 6751 Fifth St., will remain closed during the redevelopment.

“We are excited to be moving forward with one of the largest park revitalization projects in Monroe County history,” said Doug Sposito, Director of Project Management and Facilities for Monroe County. “We will be working as quickly as possible to create a beautiful and functional park that the entire Stock Island community can enjoy and be proud of for years to come.”

The project will raise six acres of the park (the non-wetlands portion) by up to two feet to address flooding caused by rains and high tides that have hampered use of the fields. This will require about 20,000 cubic yards of additional fill.

When the work is complete, the park will feature a baseball field, soccer field, soccer practice field, playground, basketball court and exercise trail for children, adults and seniors to use and enjoy.

The fields will have natural grass and be watered using rain water collected in cisterns and reclaimed water from Key West Resort Utilities. There also will be new field lighting and a new community center, with a large room and a smaller room for public use.

Funding comes from the one-cent infrastructure sales surtax. In 2012, Monroe County voters approved extending this surtax to 2033 with 68 percent of the vote.