Concerns over boathouse reopening in Cape Coral

The Cape Coral Yacht Club has been closed since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Flordia due to structural damages and dangers.

A new update from the city said the restaurant on the property called The Boat House is anticipated to reopen at the end of May.

As seven year Tom Bella put it, the people of Cape Coral just want their yacht club back, or at least parts of it. But City Councilman Tom Hayden told WINK News that the only part they’re working on now is The Boat House restaurant. And that doesn’t give yacht club lovers more to look forward to.

Whether it’s the waterfront access, tennis courts, swimming pool, or boat ramps, like many people in Cape Coral, Tom Bella loves the yacht club.

“Quite a bit. You know, My grandkids up here in Connecticut, when they come down those little guys. They love that beach for one thing,” Bella said.

But ever since Hurricane Ian, their piece of sunny paradise has been coned off and closed. On Thursday, Cape Coral City Council put out an update that the restaurant on the property, The Boat House, is anticipated to reopen by the end of May.

Councilman Hayden said as of now, that’s the only part of the yacht club that will reopen in the near future.

“Every other building in there has suffered significant damage that is not safe for any of those residents to come in,” Hayden said.

“I’m puzzled how we can open up, you know, again, a commercial operation and not open public park,” Bella said.

Bella told WINK News he’s got questions. How can one part of the yacht club be dangerous seven months after the storm and another part not be? Bella also wants to know if the city is violating a 1973 restrictive covenant deed that basically states existing facilities should be maintained as a yacht and racquet club for residents. And failure to maintain the existing facilities would cause the property to revert to the grantor.

“Can the city’s refusal to clean up and open the beach and the boat ramp and the tennis courts and not be construed as a failure to uphold deep covenant in the 1973 deed,” Bella asked.

Councilman Hayden told WINK News the closure is not violating the 1973 deed. It was rectified in 2006 with a quitclaim which relinquished all rights.

The city said damage to the yacht club buildings is so extensive they will need to be demolished. The boat ramp is closed for recovery efforts on the water is scheduled until at least the end of August.