The city of Fort Myers is stepping in to remove dozens of half-sunken boats in North Fort Myers after terminating a lease with the Old Bridge Marina. The city says the company failed to remove derelict vessels from the property.
Residents like Darryl Eldon say they're tired of seeing the eyesore.
"We're pushing two to three years on this and I understand it's overwhelming, and it's only a piece of the bigger puzzle. But again, we're we're coming up on three years. I just like to see more involvement," he said.
Neighbors nearby say it's not just a boat problem, but a trespassing one too. Gulf Coast News watched as trespassers went onto the Old Bridge Marina property, taking items. Tons of garbage, including suitcases, shoes, blankets and pillows were left behind on the docks too.
"I know there's a lot of people that care about this area. People move here for the environment, for the recreation opportunities and so forth. And they care. They'd like to see this cleaned up," Eldon said.
Old Bridge Marina in North Fort Myers agreed to a lease with the City on May 16, 2022, for approximately 1.98 acres of submerged land in the Caloosahatchee River, right next to the Edison Bridge. After Hurricane Ian, the lease was amended twice to reduce rent and to address the forthcoming reconstruction efforts, including the removal of sunken vessels.
However, city officials say the Old Bridge Marina did not follow through with requirements to maintain the property in good condition and remove sunken vessels from the site.
The city first issued a notice to correct on Nov. 21, 2024.
It said the Old Bridge Marina did not remove the derelict vessels or get the necessary permits. The company was given a final deadline of Jan. 3, 2025, to comply, which it did not meet.
The city of Fort Myers terminated the lease agreement and is planning on removing the derelict vessels from the property.
A timeline is still being determined.
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