The city of Fort Myers has 37% less green space and parklands than other cities its size.
Now, there is a plan to build more green space.
Voters must decide if they want to add more green space and parks.
The referendum if passed would call for improving parks around the city and creating more green space. It would cost taxpayers about 75 million dollars over 30 years. On average about $86 a year or the price of large pizza each month.
Joe Laza said he would expect that to be less than $20 a month as he enjoyed a piece of pizza and Centennial Park, where he often sells Italian ice.
“After school or on a Saturday and Sunday, this place gets busy,” Lanza said.
He believes voters will support better parks and more green space.
“We're going to have more people, and as it is, these parks get pretty busy,” Lanza said.
Cameron Duckworth believes nicer parks will attract families like his to the city.
“Spending more money on infrastructure coming from me with a construction background, it’s always a good thing to have these parks be some of the first things that come back,” Duckworth said.
A fact Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson confirmed.
“This is good for economic development, and it's good for property value,” Anderson said.
The mayor believes voters will approve the spending, with plans calling for a minimum of 130 acres of green space in the city and improve existing parks and facilities.
Plans call for designing and upgrading 18 parks over a 10-year period if voters say yes.