Cape cuts ribbon at Del Prado Linear Park playground

By CHUCK BALLARO news@breezenewspapers

The ribbon-cutting at the Del Prado Linear Park was set to start at 10 a m but that didn’t stop families from giving the new playground a test drive a little bit early

The city of Cape Coral is putting its $60 million GO Bond for city parks to use by renovating old parks and building new ones Friday, the city celebrated the completion of improvements on the city’s only linear park by cutting the ribbon on the park that runs along Del Prado Boulevard north of Pine Island Road

The event was at the newest addition to the park, the playground and the basketball court on the east side of Del Prado, at Northeast 16th Place and Northeast 12th Terrace Members of Cape Coral City Council city staff and Special Pops came to witness the event

Mayor John Gunter said the event was a kickoff to many other milestones for city parks this spring

This is just another example of our commitment to the community to make sure we provide the best amenities we can to our residents ” Gunter said “In the next six weeks we’ll have three more ribbon-cuttings for other parks and two groundbreakings

Among the happiest was Councilmember Jessica Cosden, who lives just blocks away from the park and can now bring her children to enjoy it after months of little voices asking when the park would open

I m excited for the people in the area and myself because we re so close we can walk here There were kids in the park already when I got here and it filled my heart with joy that people are already enjoying it,”

Cosden said

In 2018 Cape Coral voters approved a $60 million expansion of the city s parks and recreation amenities

They approved a 15-year General Obligation Bond to fund significant parks and recreation improvements throughout the city

Improvement at Del Prado Linear Park include a shaded playground featuring accessible swing seats and traditional swings a moon rock climbing component and a cozy cocoon spinning apparatus

It also contains a fenced basketball court, accessible and traditional parking, public restrooms and improved landscaping and lighting

This new site is a trailhead for Del Prado Linear Park which hosts a nearly four-mile paved and lighted path, and includes eight fitness stations, a loop around Lake Zurich and a rain garden

“It s great for people who live here all year so they can enjoy the park in the evening When the sun is beating down in the summer sometimes it makes it hard to exercise said city spokesperson Melissa Mickey When you can do it in the evening, it makes it that much easier and safer

After the ribbon-cutting members of the City Council the mayor and members of Special Pops went to the basketball court to shoot some hoops with balls that the city gave out to those who attended, with the autographs of the City Council members

The playground filled quickly with families with small children not old enough to attend school

Bill Braney watched his grandchildren play on the artificially surfaced playground and said that he loved it I m glad to see they re taking care of the children in the neighborhood We ve been keeping an eye on it, waiting for it to open ” Braney said “They had an issue with the tarp after the hurricane and we’re happy it’s open now ”

Above, members of the Cape Coral City Council and city staff cut the ribbon on the upgraded Del Prado Linear Park on Friday CHUCK BALLARO

The hospital volunteer representative said they needed wheelchairs the type that can be pushed

It seems the chairs were d i s a p p e a r i n g a n d t h e r e weren t enough chairs for everyone to go into the hospital

“What we did was buy

When you come into a medical environment, the wheelchairs are on an as needed basis Many of our veterans are not as mobile as they want to be They need wheelchairs when going from their vehicle to the clinic The wheelchairs become critical to that ”

Eliud “Pico” Torres, a volunteer at the VA since 2016

1 0 w h e e l c h a i r s L a t e r someone bought two more for a total of 12, Nugent said “So, their veteran members can wheel themselves from their vehicle to the hospital for their appointment in comfort ”

The Elks got their shipment of chairs in just a few days, continuing their longtime partnership with the VA Nugent said the Elks got a grant from the hospital a couple years ago for homeless veterans for more than $4 000

At Christmas the Elks gave more than $3 000 in presents and have given donations of $500 for dinners for veterans of the war in Afghanistan and multiple donations to the veterans hospital

The VA isn’t the only organization they help The Elks also made a $5 000 donation to the Cape Coral Caring Center

That money went to help those primarily in the community to help pay for utility bills, said Elk Rich Kampf

Our main goal is to invest in the local community One goal is to give back to local veterans and the other is caring about families with kids who are ill ”

Elks Lodge 2596 has done so much for veterans it earned an award for Elks volunteering on behalf of veterans for the whole state of Florida

Eliud Pico Torres has been with the VA since 2016 and said it has been nothing but a pleasant experience

“It gives me such an incredible pleasure to work as a volunteer Then you see who s willing to give up their time for our veterans, Torres said It s not just money, but also time

As for the wheelchairs, Torres said they could not have come at a better time since they are so needed

“When you come into a medical environment the wheelchairs are on an as needed basis Many of our veterans are not as mobile as they want to be, Torres said They need wheelchairs when going from their vehicle to the clinic The wheelchairs become critical to that ”