Contact: John Yarbrough, Lee County Parks & Recreation

(941) 338-3310 or

Jim Lavender, Lee County Construction & Design

(941) 479-8301

DEPOT PARK PAVILION RESULT OF COMMUNITY EFFORT IN BONITA SPRINGS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 14, 2000) – A new, $130,000 pavilion complex at Old Depot Park in Bonita Springs will have its ribbon cutting Monday (April 17).

The 2 p.m. ceremony will be attended by the public and private partners involved in completing the project, including Lee County, Bonita Springs Main Street and local businesses that helped in the building of the facility.

The complex – at Old Depot Park, which is south of the Imperial River and west of Old 41 – consists of a shelter along the Seminole Gulf Railway track, restrooms, picnic tables and a chain link fence on the west side of the property. The property runs north to the Imperial River.

The pavilion is a good example of government, the business sector and a community’s citizens working together toward a common goal. The Board of Lee County Commissioners (BOCC) supplied construction and parks and recreation expertise during the planning of the project, as well as funds from community park impact fees. Local area businesses were contracted for architectural work, utilities installation and to serve as the general contractor (Mills Venture Group). Bonita Springs Main Street, on behalf of the citizens of the community, acted as the project manager. The project took a year to complete. Lee County’s Parks and Recreation Department has licensed Main Street to operate the Old 41 Community Hall and Depot Park for five years.

The Bonita Springs Main Street program is part of a state program that encourages economic revitalization and physical improvements in downtowns. The program was developed to assist small communities in preserving the architectural heritage and special character of their downtowns, while at the same time strengthening the economic base of the community. The process is guided by a philosophy known as the “Main Street” approach.

Two of Bonita Springs Main Street’s primary goals are to:

1. Bring together the consensus of all groups that have a stake in the downtown in order to implement a unified management strategy that will revitalize downtown Bonita Springs, and

2. Convey an attractive, coherent and quality image of downtown using the community’s unique assets and heritage and to incorporate all elements of the downtown appearance and function.