A topic that has gained quite a bit of traction in the city has been how to handle the aesthetic improvement of roadway medians.

A pair of Cape Coral neighborhood associations in the southwest and northwest areas are joining forces to help promote the expansion and beautification of city medians through the Adopt-A-Median program.

The Southwest Cape Coral Action Committee (SWCCAC) and the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association (NWNA) have combined efforts to participate in the Adopt a Median Program by establishing a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, Friends of the Cape Coral Environment, Inc., for the program.

Don Apking, director of the beautification committee with the SWCCAC, said the pact, and the sway it creates with their membership, is a way to get things going in regards to median beautification.

“The Northwest is basically blank now and needs upgrading and the Southwest is a finish-off area that was started years ago,” Apking said.

John Bashaw, president of the NWNA, said their organization has always looked for ways to partner with the SWCCAC.

“There’s strength in numbers, so if we could find a viable project we can partner with them on, we could really be effective in making a change in the city,” Bashaw said.

The Adopt-A-Median program was started by the city to expand median improvements beyond the $1 million per year in the city budget. It relies on donations from residents and local businesses to fund the improvements on the boulevards and parkways that are not in the city budget.

The city manager, city council and Mayor John Gunter have expressed support for the program.

Councilmember Dan Sheppard has been a vocal proponent of the AAM program, providing support to the neighborhood associations to help move the AAM projects through the necessary approvals required by the city, as well as sharing his expertise on plant selection.

Apking said the major benefits of improved medians is an increase in value of the surrounding real estate, as well as the civic pride that comes from working together on something that benefits the entire community.

“By working together with our two organizations, we have 2,000 members between the two of us, it gives us some push and we’ve already gotten a lot of interest from businesses to donate to this,” Apking said.

Bashaw said Cape Coral Environment Inc. would do much more than just work on beautification of medians or on areas in the Northwest Cape, but the whole city in general.

“If businesses want to contribute to Adopt-A Median or any other activity like Clean the Cape, this is the 501(c)3 they can contribute to,” Bashaw said. “We’re going to beautify medians, do clean-ups, all those things that will help the city look better.”

All donations are tax deductible, and signs will be installed to recognize individuals, families or businesses who become major donors.

Contributions for AAM projects must be made out to “Friends of the Cape Coral Environment, Inc.” and mailed to PO Box 53, Cape Coral, FL 33993.