FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    John Yarbrough, Lee County Parks & Recreation, (941) 338-3310 or
                Jim Lavender, Lee County Construction & Design, (941) 479-8301

FORT MYERS, Fla. (December 8, 2000) – Lee County will dedicate the new Estero/Bonita Springs Community Park at a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday (Dec. 13) that will feature the first phase of what eventually could become a 65-acre facility.

The ceremony will be at 11 a.m. at the park, which is just west of Estero High School and east of U.S. 41 on Williams Road.

The 10 acres in the first phase includes two, lighted football/soccer fields, a concession/restroom facility, and a parking lot. The $1.6-million construction cost is being paid with community park impact fees collected from the surrounding area. Eventually, the project could expand north toward Corkscrew Road and encompass 65 acres.

The creation and development of this park is the result of a unique partnership between the Board of Lee County Commissioners, the School Board and private concerns. The county paid for $300,000 of improvements to school district athletic facilities in return for which the school district deeded over to the county the land needed for the park. The county and school district also collaborated on the utility systems serving both the park and Estero High School. The county granted easements through the park for utility lines and each party paid a pro-rata share of the construction costs.

The private sector also joined in the effort to establish the facility. Jon Spiegel deeded the northeast portion of his Golfcoast Driving Range property to the county. Speigel’s generous gift provides access to the park from Williams Road. And Bonita Bay Properties paid $131,425 to improve the lighting of the fields and control light spillover into surrounding neighborhoods.

The Estero Mustangs Pop Warner Football program will be the primary user of the new athletic fields. This program, which continues to grow, serves about 400 children from Bonita Springs, Estero and San Carlos Park. The new facility will enable the league to accommodate many more children in its football and cheerleading programs. The close proximity of the park to Estero High School also will allow for joint uses to benefit the citizens of Lee County.