Efforts to restore the arches continue with Poker Run
Help Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches raise money this weekend while participating in a Poker Run.
Ride the Arches Poker Run will take off Saturday, Jan. 26. The run begins at Bridgette’s Place before making a first stop at Shark Bar & Grill. The Poker Run will continue to Bonita Bill’s, Lani Kai, Castaway’s Bar & Grill, Gulf Coast Motorcycles and then back to PLA Cigar Bar.
The run will start and end at the Indian Creek Plaza, 17284 San Carlos Blvd. Registration, which is $20 for a rider and $15 for participants, will be held from 9-10 a.m. The last bike in is at 3:30 p.m.
“The best poker hand splits the pot with us,” Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches, Inc President Steven Ray McDonald said.
He said they will have food vendors such as Mystic Grill and Dog House, music all day, raffles and artwork for sale from the 1970s at Indian Creek Plaza. He said Love Boat Ice Cream will have a kiosk at the event.
“Love Boat Ice Cream is donating a portion of profit,” McDonald said. “It’s a little carnival atmosphere at Indian Creek Plaza.”
The raffle includes a good number of donated items from generous sponsors on the beach. He said individuals do not have to be present to win the raffle and the winners will be posted on their Facebook page.
“The winners will be announced at the end of the Poker Run for the raffle,” McDonald said.
He said they expect to have a good time with a good turnout while keeping everyone safe.
Although the event is scheduled to 5 p.m., McDonald said if people would like to stay longer they are welcome to do so.
The money raised during the event will go towards 3D imaging of the arch stones.
“We are about $3,300 of the $5,000 for the 3D imaging,” McDonald said.
The Fort Myers Beach Arches, built in 1924 by developer Tom Phillips, remained until November 1979, when FDOT and Lee County provided a one months notice that the arches were being taken down when the new bridge was installed.
The Fort Myers Beach Jaycees, as well as others received approval from the Lee County Commissioners that they could disassemble the arches and reconstruct them in a county park. Unfortunately, that piece of information did not reach the subcontractor in time.
McDonald said the remains of the arches were buried under 40 years of debris.
“We went out there and cut down 40- year-old trees to gain access to them. Our group rented heavy equipment and basically dug the arches out of the ground. They are now above the ground and have been 3D imaged, except for three or four said.
The University of South Florida came out and did 3D imaging of the stones, McDonald said, which will give them data. He said what they plan to do is use 3D special imaging of the original location with the original stones.
“We will be able to see what part of the arches still exists and where they were on the original arch,” McDonald said.
That information will be incorporated with dimensional data with the new arch, so they can be put it back where they once were located.
“They came down and did the work for nothing. They did it on a field trip,” McDonald said of South Florida.
McDonald encourages everyone to sign the petition, so they can, hopefully, convince the Lee County Board of County Commissioners of putting the arches back up. So far there are 400 signatures.
“I would like to have 4,000,” he said.
McDonald said they would like FDOT to put their project on its agenda, so they can at least consider it in their five year plan coming up.
“At some point they will get us on the agenda,” he said.
More information can be found on their Facebook page, Restore Fort Myers Beach Arches.