Cape Coral addresses need for all-inclusive playgrounds
Updates on Jaycee Park, Yacht Club, YMCA-proposed rec center, also presented at workshop

Among the discussions of the city of Cape Coral’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan Wednesday was to add more all-inclusive playgrounds for the growing city.
Parks and Recreation Director Joe Petrella said there is a major need for all-inclusive playground, as the Cape needs more places where children who have disabilities can play and be engaged. He said he is sure the need will come out with the 2026 Master Plan.
“It is a need that our community is looking for,” he said.
Petrella said the all-inclusive playground, which is part of the six-year capital plan, is for Lake Meade Park. Jaycee Park also will have inclusive elements.
Petrella said the city needs to have something in the north and the south as well.
“It’s near and dear to my heart and many in the community,” he said, adding that they need to push the project forward. It can “come to fruition with nonprofit groups willing to fundraise to pay for some of this capital improvement.”
Cape Coral City Councilmember Jennifer Nelson-Lastra said at the workshop that while it is wonderful that they will have some equipment at Jaycee Park, they need more than just a few pieces.
“Please consider this as we put our budget together. It is an important piece as our city grows. We should be doing something for our kids,” she said. “It is alarming to me, just in the Lee County School District, 11% of children have disabilities.”
City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn also provided an update regarding the partnership with YMCA of Southwest Florida to bring a parks complex to Cape Coral at Lake Meade Park. He said the plan was for YMCA to fundraise this winter, so they could start putting out bids this spring/summer.
“Unfortunately, I was advised last month that their fundraising personnel staff went and left the organization for another nonprofit,” Ilczyszyn said. “The key person generating the funds has left.”
The city will bring that project management back in house and amend the design to accommodate a 40,000- to 50,000-square- foot rec center with a pool.
The plan will include some redesign before it goes out to bid.
It will have “some redesign and bit it, and construct it, and leave it a pad ready site at a future date,” Ilczyszyn said, adding that the YMCA still is very interested in the site, but they could not proceed at a timeline the city wanted to progress.
The presentation highlighted the achievements, and goals met from the 2016 parks master plan, which had facility needs including a beach, small neighborhood parks and nature parks and program needs for special events, adult fitness, wellness, and programs for 50 and older.
There was a slew of accomplishments in 2023, with such highlights as the opening of Del Prado Linear, Gator Trails Park, Cultural Park and Sands Park, as well as the opening of Lake Kennedy Racquet Center in 2024. There were also many special events — New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, Reindeer Run, Music and Arts Fusion Walk, Culture Fest, Trunk or Treat and Holiday Tree Lighting.
Petrella said they are currently going over evaluation assessments for the value of the park system, as well as seeing if they could obtain sponsor dollars for various amenities and features of a park.
There were also updates on projects in process, such as Jaycee Park, Yacht Club and pier, resiliency hub/community center, Cape Coral Sports Complex Expansion, and the new skate park building.
Petrella said Jaycee Park’s design phase is completed and now they are waiting on pending permit approvals. Hopefully, the city will get the permits soon and get the construction fully implemented next month, he added.
As far as the Yacht Club, Petrella said the FDEP permit is anticipated to be issued by Feb. 11, while the Army Corps of Engineers permit is anticipated in early April.
The pier design is at 60% complete with the completion anticipated for May of this year.
The Cape Coral Sports Complex expansion includes a 13-acre purchase in 2023 at 2327 Trafalgar Parkway. He said the city is in the process of purchasing property east of the location for future expansion of the fields and facilities. With additional sports fields and improved parking there is a project cost of $17 to $20 million.
The Skate Park building replacement has an estimate of $1.7 million in costs. The design includes a kitchen and snack bar and classrooms to expand after school programs.
The presentation also included a six-year capital plan for expanding neighborhood park offerings, Coral Oaks clubhouse, course and driving range renovations, playground replacements, continuation of Operation Sparkle, Wm Austen Youth Center Expansion and Festival Park phase two.
Councilmember Rachel Kaduk asked that the city consider adding basketball courts at neighborhood parks for the young men who constantly utilize the courts at Linear Park.
The expansion of docks was also mentioned by Councilmember Bill Steinke as the need is there without the pier open at the Yacht Club.
“The ramps at the Yacht Club are being pushed back and there is more pressure on other parks. We have to do something with traffic — can’t put them in the southeast. From a funding perspective, we have to do something to deal with the additional traffic that wasn’t meant to be at the park due to the delay at the Yacht Club,” he said of Horton Park.