An open letter to Town Council from Bay Oaks Recreation Center Advisory Board member Lee Melsek for the board:
This council has an opportunity to do something that’s never been done here before.
You have an opportunity to give the residents of this island something they’ve never had here. A gathering place unlike anything that’s ever been offered here.
A new, well designed, flexible campus of recreation, entertainment, socialization and education.
All of it designed to be relevant to this town’s diverse population. A place for all ages, all interests, all levels of energy and mobility – for all who seek a place to meet for conversation, exchanges of ideas and commonality, for recreation, concerts, exercise, educational classes in cooking, healthy living, art, dance, creative and resume writing, medical tutoring, hurricane preparedness, job fairs and a variety of resident-requested topics.
A place for all islanders, from the eldest to the youngest, moms and dads, widows and widowers, youth organizations, and adult organizations.
A gathering place so attractive in its design and diversity it defines and personifies a sense of community, a place no resident will be able to resist peeking their head in the door and look forward to returning.
Please don’t do this on the cheap. Find the money to go beyond the very small piece of our plan overall recommendation your Town Manager has reduced to a single, unappealing building your advisory committee objects to.
Please accept the plan we laid out and recommended after three years of developing the vision, purpose and concept our plan presents to the residents of Fort Myers Beach.
Do it in phases if you must but make it clear to the residents that this is the plan and it won’t be compromised. And by all means please ask your staff to begin an aggressive and professional search for the federal and state grants that could complete this wonderful offering to the residents.
Our committee’s plan has already had the support from the president of the local chamber of commerce and the president of the Friends of Bay Oaks, both of whom attended the presentation and explanation of the plan we recommended to the previous council last year.
Your Bay Oaks Advisory Committee invites you to meet with us and exchange ideas for creating what can be an extraordinary and beautiful community gathering place for all of the island’s residents.
Please accept that invitation.
Thank you.
Lee Melsek with unanimous consent of the Bay Oaks Advisory Committee.
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