City invites input on the old golf course
The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on plans for the old golf course site.
The city has scheduled a public input meeting to gather ideas about what residents want to see at the city-owned acreage.
The 175-acre parcel that was once home to the Cape Coral Country Club is at 4007 Palm Tree Blvd.
The historic course closed in 2006 and clubhouse and outbuildings were razed in 2007.
The city purchased the site in August 2024.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Public Works Operations Center, 815 Nicholas Pkwy.
The desire is to transform the old property into a vibrant, inclusive park that will serve generations to come, city officials said.
The hands-on session will provide the community with the opportunity to learn about the site’s history and current conditions, take part in a visual preference activity to share their creative design ideas and to engage in an interactive exercise to identify what park features they would like to see, officials said.
A master plan was funded for fiscal year 2026, which will be shaped by public input and advisory board recommendations. According to the timeline, after the first community meeting, a preliminary master plan will be available in the winter 2026, followed by a second community meeting in the winter/spring 2026 and the final master plan will be presented in the spring 2026.
Soon after the city purchased the property, cleanup efforts began with all work not disturbing soil or groundwater. Stormwater studies also began as did as did preliminary planning for park development.
Invasive and shrub removal began in May of this year to restore a native ecosystem.
A protected species survey was conducted, and wildlife habitats were identified and market. The burrowing owls, gopher tortoises, and Florida bonneted bats were identified and at this time, relocations are not planned.