Estero Council of Community Leaders

Parks, Open Space and
Water Access Committee

May 2011 EDR - The Estero Council of Community Leaders has created a Parks, Open Space and Water Access Committee to develop ideas for community plan changes that will fulfill the suggestions of the public that participated in the Community Planning Workshop conducted by the ECCL and the ECPP in November 2010. John Yarborough, long time Director of Lee County’s Parks and Recreation department, has agreed to chair the committee.

At the November 2010 Community Planning Workshop the participants strongly supported expanded public access to the Estero River and Estero Bay and parkways connecting many of our major destinations.

The following quotes from the summary of the Workshop provide a sense of the kinds of changes that the community is seeking:

“More public access to river and bay, create parks near major waterways.

“Biggest area of concern for Sense of Place was the waterways. Every table mentioned Estero’s waterways but were concerned that either no access or no community areas on them.

“Also emphasized was the connecting of parks, local town centers, libraries, or ‘nodes’ with bike and pedestrian pathways. This integrated well with the idea of a connected and/or linear park plan.

“Linear Park Plan

· RR bed conversion to bike path/trail.

· Rails to trails

· Connection of parks for bicycling and walking. Especially around Estero High School and the Estero Community Center

· Creation of linear park

· Should publicize county’s plan for Linear Parks (website URL etc)

· Create paths within powerline Right Of Way to connect Parks

“Have area centers connected by linear pathways that connect the various nodes together.

· More public access to river and bay, create parks near major waterways.

· Need a Riverwalk

· Have water ferry to beaches throughout Estuary.

· Boat access from Estuary to Bonita Beach area