PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. Sunny’s Beach Access is ensuring everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the beach this summer. On Wednesday morning, community members unveiled the second ADA accessible beach access in Panama City Beach.

Beach Access 16 now has a newly renovated boardwalk ramp and railing, and it’s equipped with a mobility mat on the sand. “We are making sure that this beach access is completely accessible to all those with disabilities, with wheelchairs, walkers, and so on. And we’re naming it specifically after a little girl whose second birthday is today,” local pediatrician Dr. Allison Davis said. Sunny Peek was born with congenital muscular dystrophy. It’s a disorder that causes significant muscle weakness, for which there is currently no cure. Gulf Coast State College introduces new hospitality scholarships But this community-wide initiative ensures kids like Sunny have access to the beach. “Accessibility means a lot of things to a lot of different people. And so, I think the most important part is that we’re offering an equivalent experience for people living with disabilities. Not just a check mark on a form or to say we are compliant with whatever regulations exist, but making sure that people living with a variety of limitations have the same possibility and opportunity for experiences that everyone else does,” Sunny’s Dad, Tory Peek, said. The $152 million project was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Bay County’s general fund. Davis and her team raised money through a walk-n-roll event, and the United Way of Northwest Florida presented a donation to pay for the mobility mat.