FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    John Yarbrough, Lee County Parks & Recreation
                (941) 461-7410

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 9, 2001) – The Board of Lee County Commissioners will vote Tuesday (April 10) to give ownership of the county’s community parks and recreation facilities and equipment in Bonita Springs to the City of Bonita Springs.

In all, assets valued at more than $5 million will be deeded over to the city, which has been operating the parks with its own staff for about two months.

The county will retain ownership of the Bonita Springs Public Library and its regional park facilities, which are paid for by all county residents.

"This is something you don’t often see governments doing – giving away facilities," says John Yarbrough, county Parks & Recreation Director. "But it make sense that if the city is operating the facilities, it also should own them and have that pride of ownership. It’s the right thing to do for the city’s residents."

The following park properties are being transferred:

Bonita Springs Community Park (26740 Pine Avenue) – 38 acres; valued at $3.2 million by the property appraiser; includes a recreation center and gymnasium, playground, picnic areas, tennis courts, baseball/softball fields, roller hockey rink, disc golf course, pool facility with heated pool, and paved parking areas.

Bonita Springs Community Center (27381 Old Route 41) – 2 acres; valued at $331,390; includes 4,800 s.f. community center, 100 s.f. concession/ticket office, 1,080 s.f. office building, and parking area.

Bonita Springs Old Depot Park and Bandshell (10450-51 Pennsylvania Avenue) – 5 acres; valued at $375,000; includes a restroom and concession building, an open band shell, a fishing dock, and a gravel parking area.

Kentucky Street Park Property (10036 Kentucky Street) – 0.68 acres of unimproved property.

Personal Property and Equipment – valued at $1.6 million; includes equipment used to maintain and operate the facilities.

Lee County’s Parks & Recreation Department maintains and operates 3,500 acres of developed park land, 14 centers, 10 pools, five boat ramps, three Gulf beach parks, one lakefront beach, 76 beach accesses, 60 tennis courts, 73 ballfields, and 13 preserves. The department’s fiscal year 2001 operating budget is $15.1 million.