×
×
homepage logo
STORE

The fate of Bay Oaks

By Staff | Mar 17, 2009

Five advisory members – two town staffers and three private citizens – have been assembled to act as information-seekers and fact-finders by the Fort Myers Beach Town Council to aid it in its ongoing negotiations with Lee County on the purchase of Bay Oaks Recreation Center and its surrounding facilities on Oak Street.

The assembled team – Fort Myers Beach Finance Director Evelyn Wicks, Public Works Director Jack Green, Denny Weimer, Pat Smith and Charles Eck – held a meeting at Bay Oaks Feb. 5, looked at equipment and discussed operations and finances.

The five members were then invited to the FMB Civic Association meeting March 10 at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church at 3751 Estero Blvd. and roughly 50 community members shared ideas with them over the fate of the popular recreation facilities.

Currently, the county owns Bay Oaks and shares operations and the site’s daily costs of over $600,000 a year (including staff costs) to maintain it with the Beach in an interlocal agreement.

Two of the invited advisors were front and center at the civic meeting. Weimer introduced Wicks who led the discussion and set the outline of the meeting.

“We were asked to assemble all of the information we can get our hands on, put it into a format so that when the Town Council looks at it, it makes sense,” said Weeks. “All we’re doing is collecting the deeds, the agreements and the rules and regulations. We’re looking at the building, the infrastructure and equipment. We’re trying to put a reasonable picture together to say ‘here you go, this is what we found.’ We’re not making recommendations.”

Weeks emphasized that the process may take some time.

“The town will not decide until we manage to get every piece of information we can get our hands on and put it together before them,” she said. “The officials of the town are going to have to sit down and determine its value for the people of the community.”

Weeks then mentioned county policy, the interlocal agreement and offered a likely scenario.

“County policy states that when it builds a park/center in an outlined area and that area becomes incorporated, then the county moves to give that park/center to that community,” she said. “In the case of Fort Myers Beach, both county and town had a five-year interlocal agreement. After that time, the county wanted to sell its portion to the town but the town was unprepared to purchase it yet.”

Weeks said that if the town is not interested in purchasing Bay Oaks, its future is in the hands of the county.

“They may close it, they may run it, or they may do whatever they want,” she said. “But, at that point, the town of Fort Myers Beach will have no input.”

At the civic meeting, discussions ranged from maximizing the use of Bay Oaks current programs, introducing new programs, needs for the facility, revenue to offset the financial burden and funding ideas.

Existing programs marked to maximize include the disc golf course, aerobics, tennis, the teen program and the summer camp. New programs or ones that could be reintroduced include line dancing, tai chi, bocce ball, kayaking and cycling.

Recreation center needs include a fully functional meeting room and a possible batting cage on the grounds.

One person suggested taking the center’s fees out of the individual’s town taxes, while many agreed there needs to be an increase in the fees for nonresidents.

One funding idea came from George Clover, a 22-year resident of the Beach and principal of Estero High School. Clover has worked with Bay Oaks for more than 10 years.

“If it’s worked right, Bay Oaks could be a cash cow,” he said. “It’s going to take money, but it can be done. If the town did take it over, I’d like for them to look at opening the center up to rentals for banquets. There is money to be made there to support each and every one of these organizations.”

One organization well represented at the meeting was the Bay Oaks Social Seniors, a group of nearly 300 people which uses the facilities on a daily basis and would be interested in volunteering their time and energy.

The attending B.O.S.S. members were in agreement to form a volunteer committee to list activities, organize programs and help supply staffing for them.

Weeks also suggested forming a Friends of Bay Oaks committee for all island residents.

Bay Oaks’ Rick Loughrey told the group that the center’s advisory committee welcomes public comment when it meets in Town Hall at 9 a.m. on the first Thursday of every month.

When questions centered on the community pool – adjacent to the Bay Oaks facilities – Weeks answered the pool belongs to the town and is a function of the Public Works Department. She also said Nicole Olsen, the town’s public services supervisor, is in charge of the operations there.

According to Weimer, the biggest issue for the town’s expected purchase of Bay Oaks still comes down to funding and revenue. He said the advisory team has been doing intense research on that matter while reviewing the financial paperwork involved.

“I think money is going to be the biggest issue,” he said. “The town kicks in about 50 percent of the operation, so if the town takes Bay Oaks over, you’re looking at picking up the other $250,000 to $300,000.

Weimer, chairman of the Local Planning Agency, then asked the crowd about the center’s existing fees and the majority agreed that the membership rates were low.

“That’s going to be part of the discussion at some point,” he said. “Now would be the time to get those issues to the table as well, so that Evelyn can take that type of information back to the council.”

Councilman Tom Babcock was in attendance and was pressed by the crowd for his opinion.

“Personally, I’m pleased to see it come to the town once we can work out all the financial arrangements,” he said.

Mayor Larry Kiker likes the way the process is going

“The town council was invited to walk the grounds with Bill Hammonds (interim director of Lee County Parks and Recreation) and his directors,” said Kiker. “It’s a beautiful piece of property. Knowing the depth of resources we have available in this town, I hope this project would serve as an example of how we can call on some of our community leaders to help us with this decision and others.”

Civic board member Lee Melsek, who grew up on the island, appeared to be emotionally connected to the subject. He said he was one of the kids that helped build the first ball fields at Bay Oaks.

“There are some political realities to consider here,” said Melsek. “County government is in big trouble right now to the tune of billions of dollars in deficits. The county manager doesn’t want the county involved in this. It’s one of the reasons Bay Oaks hasn’t grown more than it has and that more programs have not been offered. If the town doesn’t take it over, there is a very good chance that they will either close it in these hard economic times or drastically cut back.”

He tried to remain positive saying the town’s purchase possibly could be ‘the best thing that happens to Bay Oaks.’

“The community should get deeply involved at every public meeting, be heard and insist that Bay Oaks remains open and maintains its programs and grows,” Melsek said. “This town, with your input, can run this facility better than it has ever been run before. Everything is political when you’re talking about public facilities. You need to be politically involved.”

Operating hours at Bay Oaks

Bay Oaks Recreation Center is open Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The teen program evening hours are from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The history and facilities of Bay Oaks

Bay Oaks Recreational Center opened on Oct. 23, 1986. It is owned by Lee County Parks and Recreation and operated in cooperation with the Town of Fort Myers Beach.

The center is within the incorporated limits and is used by all ages – local children to senior citizens – for a variety of leisure, recreational and/or athletic activities.

Bay Oaks features a climate-controlled gymnasium with two full-sized basketball courts, a meeting room and a weight room in the 17,694 square foot multi-purpose building. The grounds include outdoor tennis courts, two ball fields and a disc golf course.

The facility houses year-round residents, seasonal residents and nonresidents who enjoy such programs like basketball, weighlifting, tennis, baseball, aerobics, flag football, soccer, softball, dodge ball tournaments, nature walks and summer camp to name a few.

Dr. W.B. Winkler once owned the land under Bay Oaks’ facilities. He also owned the surrounding lands which house the Mantanzas Pass Preserve, the Estero Island Historic Cottages and Beach Elementary School before willing the property to Martha Redd, his life-long housekeeper. Lee County purchased the land off Redd.

Source: Lee Co. Parks and Rec. Web site

Recent renovation and/or repairs

In the past five years, recent improvement and major maintenance repairs include multiple A/C replacements, ballfield light improvement, field irrigation upgrade, ceiling insulation replaced and the roof re-sealed totaling $368,000.

The county’s Facilities and Maintenance Department spent another $200,000 in that time frame on CIP and maintenance charges for items like new classroom and office flooring, and an additional ADA accessible restroom off of the gymnasium.

Source: Vicki Little, Lee Co. Parks and Rec.