By Nadia Ramdass, WINK News
Cape Coral - There is a been a battle brewing for some time regarding the
next step for The Golf Club in Cape Coral. At one point the Lee County
School Board attempted to buy the course to develop it into a multi-school
campus.... but was met with opposition from residents. Now developers are
looking to use the land for commercial and residential use, but residents
say they do not need new development, they just want more green.
Carol Sue Gonzalez is sad to see the one of Cape Coral's crown jewels turn
into a pile of rubble. Especially since the clubhouse of The Golf Club was
the very place her son got married.
"Our kids are now celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary this month and
I took pictures last week to show them the demolition of the building they
got married and it's kind of sad," said Gonzalez.
The Golf Club open it's doors back in 1967 to attract new residents to the
growing city. Now that the golf club is closed for good, developers have
asked the city to change the future land use of the club from residential to
mixed use. This would allow developers to sell the property as retail,
office or multi-family living space.
"We oppose it and we will go to every meeting and try to stop it," said Mary
Neilson of Save Our Recreation, a group opposing the plan.
Neilson, who serves as president for the non-profit group is trying to stop
developers in their tracks. Neilson says the land would be best suited for
parks and recreation use even adding a new course or a resort. She says
using the plot of land for commercial use would be her worse nightmare.
"We have a 175 acres of beautiful green space in a growing area and the
traffic issues would be bad and I think it's just time to save some green
space," said Neilson.
If the city approves the developer's plans for the land, it will then go to
the State. Public hearings are set for this fall. Neighbors say hundreds are
planning to show up to protest.
