In November, 2018, Cape Coral voters( taxpayers) voted for a $60 million Parks & Recreation General Obligation (GO) Bond also known as the Parks GO Bond. The Parks GO Bond is a loan or a debt that will be re-paid by the taxpayers of Cape Coral over 15 years. The initial purpose of the Parks GO Bond was to improve 15 existing parks and build or construct 3 new parks with the stipulation that $60 million would not be exceeded. However, the $60 million that the taxpayers voted for is now projected to be far exceeded that and it looks as if the $60 million budget is being ignored by our Cape Coral City Government. This is a problem!

Not only is the Parks GO Bond over budget but the Yacht Club Community Park(CCYC) is scheduled to be be closed for 2 full years!  It gets worse, there is a false statement being repeated that there is a "parking problem" in the Yacht Club Community Park. I have lived in Cape Coral for 20+ years now and I have not had a problem with finding a parking spot in the Yacht Club Community Park. There are several areas to park but there are almost always spots available in the large parking area by the tennis courts or in the 2 grassy parking areas to the right as you enter the park or back behind the tennis courts at the end of Floridian Ct. It gets even worse because the solution to this false "parking problem" is to build a 3 story parking garage at the end of the Marina/ Yacht Basin which will block the view of the gorgeous marina as you drive into and drive out of our beautiful, waterfront city park! Here's the thing, if the parking is ever full then the park needs to be closed to anyone else entering the park until more parking spots are available. This is standard, wise and prudent management of any city park, county park, state park or national park. The parking garage is simply not needed or wanted in a our city park!

Our park(s) must remain open and available to both our residents (taxpayers) and our visitors/tourists alike. Closing our Yacht Club Community Park, or any city park, for 2 years is unacceptable.

Please sign this petition to say NO to a parking garage in our beautiful city park! And then share it with all your friends, neighbors and family to sign too.

Here is the link to the Cape Coral City Government page. Please reach out to them and let them know that you say NO to a parking garage in our Cape Coral Yacht Club Community Park:

https://www.capecoral.gov/government/city_government/index.php

Visit here to see how the Parks GO Bond is already over budget. Click on each project or park to see what the projected costs are:

https://www.capecoral.gov/special_project_plans/parks_and_recreation_go_bond/how_will_go_bond_funds_be_spent.php

Here is link to the conceptual plan for the $37 million project for the Cape Coral Yacht Club Community Park:

https://www.ccyachtclub.com/

When we all stand together we can make a difference by protecting our beautiful parks and bring about positive change.

Thank you!

Shara Nielsen

*Picture above is of the sunset over the Caloosahatchee River at the Cape Coral Yacht Club Community Park*