Council continues to wrangle with Yacht Club rebuild
How to proceed with the Cape Coral Yacht Club rebuild — and how much to pay for what amenities — was a centerpoint of a near seven-hour Cape Coral City Council workshop.
Council discussed how it plans to prioritize the rebuilding of the historic landmark with core infrastructure costs estimated to be around $164 million.
In the end, little was resolved as every question seemed to only result in two or three more questions.
City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn talked about the phased approach the city plans to use to rebuild the riverfront park and marina destroyed by Hurricane Ian.
He also discussed costs for the components to be phased in.
Phase 2, where the city installs the fuel system and tanks, the enclosure, as well as civil site work, utilities and beach amenities is expected to cost around $38 million.
Phases 3 through 6, which include the harbormaster building, beach restroom, maintenance building and floating and fixed docks will cost another $25 million.
Discussion pertaining to phases 7-9, the planned parking garage, community center and resort style pool, estimated at $94 million, generated the most debate.
Councilmember Joe Kilraine said he thought Phase 2 must be completed and that the city needs to enter into a private/public partnership to raise funding for the other park components such as the garage and the new community center.
Councilmember Bill Steinke said the city would sell itself short if it stopped at Phase 2.
“The docks and the marina, other than the money they receive from the Boat House, the marina becomes our income opportunity,” Steinke said. “If we’re not blessed with a P3, then we have to pay for it ourselves. There was an outcry after Ian that we need it back, but it was designed for the boating public and for those who wanted rec opportunities.”
Councilmember Rachel Kaduk questioned why a city-owned yacht club should even exist, even if the original one, built by the city’s developer in the early 1960s, was part of Cape Coral’s history.
“A yacht is a private luxury hobby. The government building a yacht club is an oxymoron,” Kaduk said. “We can do the beach, the marina, the Boat House and parking. It’s been offline for four years, no one was asking for this. We need a pool, just not a resort pool. This is not a need, it’s a want.”
She also disputed the parking garage and suggested the property be put up for sale for a commercial opportunity for a Tarpon Point or Cape Harbour.
Mayor John Gunter said that going through phases one through six was a must, especially one and two for the core infrastructure.
“We have to do those and one and two we have to do now so we can get the project started,” Gunter said. “I have reservations on three through six because we got unsolicited bids we have to look at. I should wait and look at those.”
Gunter asked Ilczyszyn when they could look at the bids and come back with a better view of things.
The city manager said it would probably be after the city council returns from hiatus at the end of July for another workshop.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com