Cape Coral Rowing club's future at stake

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—The Cape Coral Rowing Club's move to a permanent home at Tropicana Park this spring is now uncertain after city council introduced new requirements that could cost the nonprofit more than it can afford. 

 

The club used to sit at Cape Harbour but was forced to move in 2022 due to development. Their temporary home is off Old Burnt Store Road, on the Third of the Seven Islands.

 

Rowers, parents and the club's president showed up to WINK Listens at FSW to share their situation. For years, the nonprofit has helped students find community and earn college opportunities.

 

"It keeps me disciplined, and it's very motivational," said Nyelle Love, a rower.

 

"Just that drive of you having to continue to push yourself every day," said Wade Johnson.

 

Saundra Weston is the club's president and coach.

 

"It's a crucible to help build character and to build better human beings," Weston said. "I mean, it's really almost a ministry for me."

 

For nearly seven years, the club has sought a permanent place to operate. In 2020, Cape Coral approved space at Tropicana Park, and the club was set to move this Spring. 

 

At the Feb. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting, city leaders agreed on framework for a licensing deal recommending the club pay for a concrete wall around the property. The wall would be roughly 11,000 feet, up to 10 feet high.

 

"That's like a $150,000 proposition, best case," Weston said.

 

Weston, rowers and parents said the nonprofit can't afford it.

 

"Our biggest question to the mayor and to the city council is, why this particular youth nonprofit?" said Bea Love, a concerned parent.

 

"Don't take that away from all these kids that are trying," Johnson said.

 

"It breaks my heart when they're saddened because I feel helpless," Weston said. "I feel helpless because I'm basically at the behest of a group of people and the way they choose to vote."

 

Concrete wall or not, Kevin Black, president of the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association, questions whether the new Tropicana Park is the right location for the club at all.

 

"We say that because if you look what's going to happen down through the canal here at the Seven Islands Development, we feel it's going to be very difficult for them to actually row through here," Black said.

 

Later this year, a developer expects to break ground on that development which will include apartments, condos, a hotel, waterfront restaurants and a public marina with boat slips directly adjacent to the park.

 

"The amount of volume that's going to be here, in terms of boat traffic, is going to increase dramatically," Black said.

 

Black noted that his group is for the club, but with what's coming next door, he has concerns.

 

"We're not against kids rowing and using the waterways," Black said. "We're here to share it with everybody. But we just don't think this is appropriate spot for this club to be located."

 

He has suggestions, including the Crystal Lake area.

 

"Maybe Crystal Lake area, not Crystal Lake itself, because that's a non-motorized Lake," Black said. "But the canal up there has a straightaway."

 

Weston feels there are no other options for the club. Without it, the rowers said they don't know what they would do.

 

"We have no practice spot," Johnson said. "Our team completely crumbles apart. We can't be at club anymore."

 

"I'm not sure what I would do, and I'm not sure where all these other kids would go," Love said.

 

WINK News reached out to the city. 

 

 

That was the same meeting that ended with the licensing agreement recommendation for a concrete wall. 

 

WINK News reached out to all the council members, but has not heard back. 

 

Weston told WINK News multiple council members asked to pull the item for further discussion because they know the cost is crippling.

 

Weston said there will be another meeting next Wednesday at 9 a.m.

 

WINK News will stay on top of what happens.