VALARIE HARRING

On Wednesday, at the Committee of the Whole Meeting, (not a voting meeting) there was consensus given to the city manager to continue the plans for demolition of the Yacht Club Ballroom. These plans are based largely on the fact that the building was not maintained. It needed a roof, AC and windows before the hurricane. The building had no water damage, a broken window and door where rain came through. I respect the decision of the City Council members, but it is my duty and responsibility as a resident of this City to stand up and be heard. I encourage all of you to attend the June 7 meeting at 4:30 to let your voice be heard about this building.

There is much conversation about memories and saving parts of the building for historical value. This is not about memories; they are feelings and emotions that stay with you for a lifetime and you can pass on to the next generation. This is about a town that started with eight homes and a Yacht Club Community Park for the residents of Cape Coral. It is where we began and to think that we will not move forward to declare this building historical when it is OUR HISTORY AND OUR BEGINNING IS not fundamentally sound judgement.

I heard all the arguments yesterday concerning the $3-5 million that it would cost to preserve, harden and restore the building. The “bones are broken,” we need to rebuild for the next generation and the build out of our population at 500,000. Another comment was if we can fix it for $3-5 million that is the price of a new building. Ask anyone in construction, a new two-story multi-use building in today’s construction market will be a minimum of $20 million. Are we the taxpayers going to pay for this debt over the next 30-50 years? That is what we are giving the next generation, not a building that sustains time, but more debt than the city needs to incur. We do need a parking garage, we do need to move the boat ramp, grow the beach and restore the seawalls, add a harbor master house. All that will take money that we will bond and borrow, but we do not need to go in debt for a building that will be easily restored.

The city manager gave a scenario whereby we can fix the building within the 50/50 FEMA rule. There is also the strong possibility of historical status which would lessen the criteria. The mayor stated he read the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and we do not qualify, but he did not look at the State Historic preservation paperwork which a group of us have already started. We will file for this application and pursue this designation.

In a city where the residents have lost so much, possibly this is the time to bring back our recreation in as easy a fashion as possible, so we can begin to live again. The $3-5 million will restore the building, the beach is in the process of being opened and we can re-open the pool with less than $35,000. So why not give our residents what they long for? A place to swim, relax and enjoy. Even if you are planning to build a parking garage and do work that requires cranes, it can be done while keeping our beach and Yacht Club Ballroom open. The City of Fort Myers had cranes all over the downtown when they were improving their waterfront and adding a hotel. They did not close their downtown.

In closing I encourage all residents and visitors who love the Yacht Club Ballroom to let your voices be heard, don’t speak about emotion but about facts, ask questions about long-term debt, other possible solutions and how we can preserve and protect our history.

The meeting is at 4:30 on June 7 Cape Coral City Council Chambers at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.

— Gloria Tate grew up in Cape Coral as member of one the Cape’s “pioneer” families. She is a member of the Cape Coral Museum of History’s Board of Directors and a former member of the Cape Coral City Council.