FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Roger Mercado, Lee County Human Services
              (239) 652-7930

              Mary Beth Krause, Lee Parks & Recreation
              (239) 461-7436

RECREATION PAVILION TO OPEN IN CHARLESTON PARK/RIBBON CUTTING THIS SATURDAY (DEC. 18)

(Clarification: Lee County Parks & Rec. will not be administering any special programs at the recreation pavilion)

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 16, 2004) - Lee County will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday (Dec. 18) to officially open a new recreation pavilion in Charleston Park.

The ceremony will be at 1 p.m. at the county neighborhood park in Charleston Park, 2541 Charleston Park Drive, in east Lee County (off of State Road 80). Commissioner John Albion will serve as master of ceremonies.

The 8,750-square-foot pavilion and related park improvements cost $397,000 and were paid for with federal U.S. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds.

The pavilion has a college size basketball court that overlooks the newly landscaped multi-purpose playing field, new playground equipment, and the community building (Operated by the Charleston Park Neighborhood Association). Additionally, the lighted basketball court will allow for night games and activities. Because the pavilion will increase park activity, an access road and parking lot with 19 spaces was added.

County Parks and Recreation staff will administer programs to keep the youth (who make up nearly half of the community's 400 residents) busy while at the facility. Increased patrols by the Sheriff's Office will offer greater security for those individuals using the park facilities. The project has been a cooperative effort of the county's Human Services, Transportation, and Parks & Recreation departments with the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Charleston Park Neighborhood District Committee and Charleston Park Neighborhood Association.