Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park Ribbon Cutting (March 30, 2012)
It was a beautiful day for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park. A small crowd of Rookery Bay Reserve staff, volunteers and partners as well as Collier County Parks & Recreation staff, local media, Isles of Capri residents and paddlers excited about accessing these waters enjoyed some “mangrove music” by JRobert and welcoming remarks made by DEP Deputy Secretary of Water Policy and Ecosystem Restoration Greg Munson, Rookery Bay Reserve Director Gary Lytton, Assistant Manager Randy McCormick, Collier County Manager Leo Ochs and Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala.
Paddlecraft Park Opening Video
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Video produced about the Park Opening from Collier Television
Mangrove Restoration Transforms Former Hotel Site to Paddler’s Paradise
Mangroves have long been under appreciated in southwest Florida. Just 50 years ago mangroves were still considered “useless swamps” and were often cleared to make way for high-rise condominiums, marinas and other waterfront development as quickly as was possible. The 1970’s grass roots movement to “save Rookery Bay” for future generations ultimately resulted in nearly 40% of the county’s coast becoming conservation lands, but opportunities for people to access these lands and waters were few and far between. A bayfront property on the northwest corner of Collier Boulevard and Isles of Capri Road that was originally proposed for a hotel and 50-slip marina ended up being sold to the State of Florida. Despite the garbage dump that was later discovered there, the site had the potential to offer much more to the community.
Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park
After years of planning and a lengthy search for state and federal funding, the waterways around Johnson and McIlvane Bays will soon be much more accessible to paddlers. Following many iterations of restoration plans, permits were issued, buried waste removed and clean fill dirt finally laid the foundation for the new Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park. With construction now complete, the park will be sub-leased to Collier County Parks & Recreation to manage. The facility includes a kayak launch with freshwater rinse station, picnic pavilions, and restrooms which will also be accessible by pedestrians from the nearby Collier Boulevard boat ramp. The new park will provide opportunities for non-motorized vessels such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, to safely access quiet backwaters and amazing habitats in the reserve.
Mangrove Restoration Rookery Bay hosted Fabien Cousteau, third-generation ocean explorer, for a brief site visit and press conference about the importance of mangroves on Tuesday in partnership with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and Coastal Resources Group.
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