Aquatics Center would benefit the city
To the editor:
To answer your poll question, yes, yes, yes, to the Aquatics Center
An economic opportunity like his presents itself rarely and should not be missed. I would suggest that Cape Coral strongly consider donating the land and accepting the $1 annual lease payment for the 99 years option. For the last three to four years, before the recession took hold that parcel of land in north Cape has been proposed as an academic center and later as an industrial park, with absolutely no takers. The time is now to move on.
Since my wife and I have been residents of Cape Coral we have heard of grand plans to reconstruct south Cape by the CRA. Nothing basically has happened. Projects after projects have been surfaced that never seem to go forward, for a number of reasons. What’s the net result – a lot of planning and nothing to show for it. I would use whatever funding the CRA has and divert it to the Aquatics Center, an actual in-hand project. Believe it or not north Cape is as much a part of Cape Coral as is south Cape. The majority of the growth in Cape Coral, for the last number of years, has been along Pine Island Road not south Cape and most likely will continue if the project to widen Pine Island Road between Chiquita and Burnt Store Road goes forward.
Lee County set aside $25 million to assist in economic growth. I understand that Lee officials believe the Aquatics Center doesn’t qualify for their funding support. If this is true, using their criteria, what does qualify? It sounds like they are holding onto that money in an attempt to get GM to build an assembly plant in Lee; fat chance.
Ray Quellette
Cape Coral