The riverfront view at Jaycee Park. PROVIDED

With final approval two weeks out, Cape Coral City Council and residents living near Jaycee Park remain at odds over its redevelopment.

Although the Jaycee Park plans have been modified and modified again, there continues to be pushback from the public stating Council continues to not listen to their request which is to, for the most part, leave the park alone.

“I know the public says we don’t listen, but we do,” Assistant City Manager Connie Barron said. “We have moved all the way to over here. We have been looking at ways we can make some modifications and changes and do that through the design process. Doing nothing was not considered an option. We didn’t cut any corners, we did not go cheap. We are not going to do Jaycee Park on the cheap, least expensive playground. Jaycee Park is a special park, improvements have to be top-of-the-line, quality enhancements. We are expecting the costs to increase the overall price by 30-35%.”

Mayor John Gunter said a concern of his is they have $12.3 million that is budgeted as a placeholder in the fiscal year 2025 budget. He said they are talking about $16 to $18 million.

“There is still a delta there trying to mitigate,” he said.

Barron said staff is in the process of applying for grants and the city has received some grant funding and donations.

“If Council moves forward with the agreement, we will continue to apply for other grant opportunities out there,” she said, adding that there is significant interest to support the playground with a nearby benefactor.

In two weeks, at the next Council action meeting, the proposed comprehensive agreement will be presented to the elected board along with a concessionaire’s agreement.

There was again much public comment, again most of it negative.

“I commend you on the playground. The rest of the park, no. For 15 months we have been telling you no changes to Jaycee Park,” Cathleen Lopez said. “We talk, you listen. We are the taxpayers. You respond to us.”

Anne Berchtold said it’s a generational responsibility — to pass Jaycee Park to the upcoming generation.

“It’s a fiasco commercial mess,” she said. “What the community wants is for Jaycee Park to remain as it is — a community park for all.”

Others said Council is selling out the piece of paradise for the almighty dollar, as they are handing over complete control to Fortress Secured, LLC, which has submitted the unsolicited public-private partnership arrangement under Council consideration.

While many were against the changes, a few spoke during public input to share they agree with the changes.

“I am a young Floridian born and raised. I’ve been going to parks my whole life. Thank you for being open to change — making a better place for children. I want my children to enjoy the park. Have splash pads. Have ice cream if they want it. I want them to enjoy,” Megan Myers said of when she has children. “I understand what you all are saying. I love plants, animals, community, and I love our homes. Families need places to go.”

She said Jaycee Park is a little outdated and plain.

“Be open to change. Change is inevitable. Change is good. Change can be hard. We have to be open-minded and kind to people. We are all humans. We are trying to make a difference and be better in this world. This is going to be better for our children, better for future generations. I think this is good and I respect this. Thank you for the change and open to making our community better,” Myers said.

Others said there is a large “geriatric” population in the area and there are plenty of places for kids, but not for older people to walk to.

“There is a variety of opinions and perspectives, and our job is to listen to all of them and at times that is not easy,” Councilmember Bill Steinke said. “The average age in Cape Coral is 45 years old. We have young families here — more and more children here and we have to serve those needs.”

He said terms like generational responsibility is exactly what the city is doing.

“We are taking that position of generational responsibility to look at our youth, or young teens to have an encouraging place for them to go and enjoy the waterfront and have them do other things than video games,” Steinke said. “Hats off to the few of you that had the courage to come to the microphone and tell the other side. Those who had the courage to bring their opinion and side of their story — they were chastised and that is why you don’t see all those at the microphone. They want us to serve ourselves up as the presenter of that side of the story.”

The first public hearing was held Wednesday night regarding the submitted public private partnership, or P3, for Jaycee Park.

“The design work is continuing and closing on the completion of the design,” Barron said.

The original concept was presented in January 2023, which has changed quite a bit as Barron said they wanted to incorporate the design-based input they received from the public. Some of those concerns were related to shade — more trees, not losing green space, bar and bandshell, as well as too many restrooms.

Barron said proposed now are more than 500 trees at Jaycee Park, as well as more than 1,000 new shrubs, more than 8,500 new ground plantings and more than 106,000 square feet of mulch. Site wide irrigation will keep the Jaycee Park green.

Currently, 2.34 acres of Jaycee Park is under shade provided by the Australian pines. On the first day of installation of the new vegetation there will be estimated 2.1 acres of shade provided. By five years, 3.6 acres of shade will be provided with the vegetation. To enhance shade, shade sails and other amenities will be incorporated as well.

There will be shade sail seating on the north and south ends of the waterfront with recycled custom painted benches. She said the city is seeking input to what sort of custom seating the public desires.

The second concern, the bar, is no longer an option. It has been replaced with The Reef that was put together by the P3 group that the city is working with.

“We understood the concerns about the image of an actual bar might present at Jaycee. That bar is completely gone. The overall function has changed, and the building size significantly reduced,” Barron said.

The 3,000-square-foot imprint has been reduced to less than 1,000 square feet with an ice cream and snack bar window and service window on the right side and beverage counter on the left side.

“The main level will have a few bistro tables. An oversized roof that will provide shade. Three ceiling fans in the design to help cool the patrons a little,” Barron said, adding that there are three unisex bathrooms and a handicap access ramp.

Steve Soloway, with The Reef, an investor with Black Diamond Real Estate Group, said he has been in Cape Coral for 20 years and has five children, all born in the city and who go to school in the city.

“Every time we want to go to a birthday party, we go to Fort Myers. There is nothing to do in Cape for the kids,” he said during public input.

Soloway said they are going to be a place to come with family, dogs, a place to play outside, play a game in the park, and have a good time.

“Come out and be a family away from electronics,” he said. “We are not going to make it downtown Cape Coral and Fort Myers. We have no intention in doing that. It’s a family environment for everybody. There are 100,000 kids that live in Cape Coral and need a place to go. If we don’t provide a positive atmosphere for these kids, then we are doing them disservice.”

The proposed bandshell was another area of concern with residents, as the initial design at 30% was 1,600 square feet. Barron said residents were calling it a glorified pavilion, so it went back to the design team and the size was increased to 2,400 square feet.

“The result of the bandshell was now it’s too big. The structure needed to be looked at again,” she said.

The size was reduced to about 1,200 square feet with everything smaller — the storage and electrical, as well as the removal of restrooms. The actual stage also shrunk in size to about 1,000 square feet.

Another concern raised by the residents were there were too many restrooms.

“The design originally proposed a north restroom and central restroom. Four women, four men. We reduced the size of the north restroom. From eight stalls to two unisex bathrooms. We now have a total of 13 restroom stalls at Jaycee,” she said.

Cooling and hydration stations were also discussed, as it would be something at the park to cool off pets and their human companions. There will be a dog-accessible drinking bowls, regular drinking fountains and cooling misting stations that has a control panel to turn off.

Barron said one of her most favorite parts of the entire park is the playground, which is going to be completely inclusive. The design of the playground is through PlayCore’s National Demonstration Site. She said they will also receive a second designation called Play On!, which promotes physical activity.

“Currently there are three sites with dual designation. Jaycee will be the fourth site in the state of Florida,” Barron said.

The splash pad also will have inclusive elements for children.

The main playground, more than 5,000 square feet, will have full shade coverage.

Food trucks had a reduction of four to start with, with the other two for rotational, or special event type purposes.

“We have grills planned for two of the pavilions,” Barron said. “Visitors are welcome to bring own.”

There will be six bike racks in the park. Memorial bench locations will be on the north end.

It was said that the boat slips are part of the second phase of the Jaycee Park project.

“I want to commend staff and Connie and everyone that put a lot of time and effort to meet all the needs you have asked for. I look at the city as a large family, (we need to) fulfill the needs of the entire family of Cape Coral. I love this community and I want to leave it a better place for my kids. Every decision cannot be about me,” Councilmember Dan Sheppard said.