Strategic plan almost finalized for Newton Beach Park
An under-utilized beach park is getting some much needed attention.
On Saturday, Mound House and interim Parks Director Alison Giesen met with facilitator Lorna Kibbey and 12 members of the community to discuss the strategic plan developed during their planning session on Jan. 14.
Members of CELCAB, Friends of the Mound House, and Vice Mayor Joanne Shamp were pleased by the results.
Their goal to “provide a recreation and education experience for all” includes maximizing the park’s potential, expanding programming and staffing, exploring ways to market the facilities, and doing some structural improvements, like improving lighting and adding a fresh coat of paint.
Funding, maintenance, visibility, and a lack of community partnerships are all challenges for the park that will have to be addressed moving forward, but the group was optimistic about the park’s unique location and the opportunity to collaborate on programming with the Mound House, Florida Gulf Coast University, and local schools.
Giesen pointed out that they have already been coordinating programs with the Mound House, but a lack of staff and parking makes it difficult.
She expressed that she’s passionate about integrating Beach Elementary School into their programming, but so far has not gotten a response from them.
Shamp noted the opportunity to promote the island’s history by linking the park to other sites.
“If you tie together Mound House, Newton Park, and Bayfront Park, and somehow create this historic triangle…We could do something that ties these things together and have something that promotes a day of history on Fort Myers Beach,” she said.
Some short term goals the group identified included doubling their beach walks, hosting more lectures, adding security cameras and public wi-fi for programs, and enhancing their social media presence.
In the long term, a name change could be considered, as well as a remodel that could add a yoga studio and enlarge the meeting space.
“We’ve got tremendous leadership and stable financeswith some foresight and specific plans, I think we have a time right now, because of escalating property values, that we can get things done. Let’s utilize this moment to create these visions and make them happen. The moment is right,” said Shamp.
The next steps will be to finalize the plan and present it to the Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board.
“Lorna and I will continue to work together, we’ve already started the process,” Giesen said.
After CELCAB, the plan will go to a town council management & planning session, and finally to a regular council meeting for adoption.
Giesen hopes the process will be finished in the next couple of months, in time for Newton Beach Park to be considered in the council’s summer discussions of next year’s budget.
Her current role as interim director of the Parks Department gives her a unique opportunity to link all of the Town’s recreational and educational resources.
“I just can’t tell you how excited I am,” she said.