Santa Rosa County's Oct. 22 update put the storm debris at an estimated 1.8 million cubic yards, with an estimated $23 million cost to remove it. By that afternoon, crews had collected over 350,000 cubic yards of vegetative debris, a small share of the estimated total. Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin on the night of Friday, Oct. 9, and the piles along Pace's streets show that the cleanup is still in its early weeks. Until those piles are gone, the shared public places are what bring Pace's daily routine back: a library, a ring of county parks, and a soccer complex that is serving as a brush yard for now. Neighbors cleared streets before any county truck could get to them.
Neighbors cleared the first streets
The county's curbside pickup started on Wednesday, Oct. 14. For the four days before that, much of Pace was opened up by residents with saws. WKRG reported that Larry Sutton and his son had cut and moved about 50 trees in their part of the neighborhood. Another Pace resident told the station, "Literally every street around us was blocked off," because so many large oaks had come down.
"I mean, that's what you do in situations like this, you know, you just ask people, 'Hey, you need food, you need water, we got plenty.'" Larry Sutton, speaking to WKRG on Oct. 13
Organized help in those first days gathered along Highway 90. The Pensacola News Journal's Oct. 11 live coverage described Convoy of Hope at Pace Assembly of God, 3948 Highway 90, handing out food, water, tarps, hygiene items, diapers and formula. The same coverage reported Salvation Army hot meals at 4773 Pace Patriot Blvd. on Monday, Oct. 12. PNJ also listed a volunteer check-in for Cajun Navy Ground Force at the Walmart Supercenter on Highway 90 in Pace. On Oct. 13, WKRG reported that AT&T response trucks were set up at the AT&T Pace Store, 4749 U.S. Highway 90, with device charging, free Wi-Fi, hygiene kits and water. These were pop-up efforts in the first days after the storm, and each one ran on its own schedule.
Neighbor-to-neighbor help is still available. The Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies, known as BRACE, uses Crisis Cleanup to connect Santa Rosa and Escambia residents with volunteer groups that may help with tree removal, debris cleanup and roof tarping. The number is 1-800-451-1954.
Why the curb will stay full for a while
The county's pickup crews work public, county-maintained roads in passes. The Oct. 22 update says a typical storm takes about three passes to clear the roadways, but Isaias left "far greater than usual" amounts, and crews will make as many passes as it takes. The county has not set a date for the final pass. It has said residents will get plenty of advance notice before that last run so everyone can get their debris out in time.
The gap in the numbers is wide. Vegetative debris collected had passed 350,000 cubic yards, while construction and demolition debris collected stood at over 100 cubic yards. Most of what crews have hauled so far is trees. The county's Hurricane Isaias debris page is where pickup updates are posted as the passes continue.
If a home or outbuilding was damaged, the county asks residents to report it through the Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser's search page. Look up the parcel, then use the "Report Damage" button under Owner Information. The county says an exact repair estimate isn't required, and you can call 850-983-1880 for help.
Joppa Drive is a brush yard for now
Santa Rosa Soccer Park, 3360 Joppa Drive, is serving as the county's free vegetative-debris drop-off on the Pace side of the county. The county's Oct. 16 notice and its Oct. 20 update list these rules:
- Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.
- Santa Rosa County residents only, with proof of residency.
- Vegetative debris only. No household garbage and no construction debris.
- No bagged material.
- No commercial loads.
The county also accepts vegetative debris for free at Central Landfill, 6337 Da Lisa Road in Milton, Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The county's notices don't say when the soccer park will go back to being fields.
What's open, per the county's latest updates
| Place | Status | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Pace Library | Reopened Monday, Oct. 19, on regular hours | County update, Oct. 20 |
| Benny Russell Park, 5417 W. Spencer Field Road | Closed | County update, Oct. 22 |
| Other county parks | Open, except for marked caution areas | County update, Oct. 22 |
| Santa Rosa Soccer Park, 3360 Joppa Drive | Operating as a debris drop-off | County update, Oct. 20 |
Benny Russell Park was already partly closed before the storm. In September, the county said the Benny Russell Splash Pad was closed because of electrical issues. Among the other closed parks on the Oct. 22 list are Tiger Point Park, Optimist Park, Fidelis Park and the Oriole Beach boat ramp. Even in parks that are open, the county asks visitors to watch for leftover debris. These statuses change quickly. The county's News Flash page has the newest version, and 211 Northwest Florida, run by United Way of West Florida, answers non-emergency questions 24 hours a day.
The calendar still on the books
With the library back on regular hours, its calendar is the most dependable list of things to do in Pace right now. A few dates were already scheduled before the storm. One has moved.
- Fall Into Fun, Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to noon, at all Santa Rosa County libraries.
- Community Chess, Saturday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to noon, at Pace Library.
- FOPL Book Club, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 5 to 5:45 p.m., at Pace Library.
- Community Cat Day, now Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Santa Rosa County Animal Services shelter, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. It was moved from Oct. 29 and offers free spay and neuter for up to 50 community cats. Traps can be rented starting Nov. 9 with a $65 refundable deposit, cash or check only.
- Creekfest '26, Nov. 21 and 22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 4750 Willard Norris Road in Milton, with Creek cultural activities, performances, crafts, food and vendors.
The county posted its fall events schedule before Isaias. The county also notes that it isn't responsible for changes made by organizers, so check with the host before you go.
What was approved before the storm
Several Pace business plans got county approval before Isaias. Santa Rosa County's development tracker lists these approvals and gives no opening dates for any of them:
- Pace Frozen Yogurt, a frozen-yogurt drive-in in an existing building at 4758 Highway 90, approved Feb. 5.
- Dutch Bros – Pace, a 1,025-square-foot drive-through coffee shop at 4955 Highway 90, approved July 10.
- AutoZone – Quintette, a 6,571-square-foot store at 5675 Quintette Road, approved July 30.
- La Hacienda Quintette Rd., a 4,000-square-foot restaurant on Quintette Road, approved Oct. 2.
For now, the most reliable places to check on Pace are the library on its regular hours, the county parks that have reopened, and the soccer park on Joppa Drive, which takes brush seven days a week until the county says otherwise.
If you're settling into Pace on military orders during the cleanup, or you have questions about your home after the storm, I'm happy to talk it through. After 14 PCS moves of our own, I know how disorienting it is to arrive somewhere while the streets are still being cleared. Reach out to Cynthia Zalar anytime. Let's Connect.
