Community feedback sought on empty park in Fort Myers

The City of Fort Myers wants to know what people think should be done with the City of Palms baseball park, which, for the most part, has been sitting empty.

Meanwhile, the owners of nearby lots are hoping to cash in.

The Mayor of Fort Myers made it clear he’s tired of all the talking about what the city will do with the City of Palms and just wants something done.

Wednesday night, at 6 p.m., the City of Fort Myers is hosting a public feedback meeting at the City of Palms.

“I don’t care if it’s revitalized as a sports complex, or if it’s repurposed into something else or it’s torn down and redeveloped. It doesn’t matter to me,” said the Mayor of Fort Myers, Kevin Anderson. “We have to do something because it’s costing us almost half a million dollars a year just to own that building.”

And the Red Sox moved out a few years ago.

Nearby landowners hope to cash in, so they want the city to tear down the ballpark and redevelop Midtown. There’s a plan for that, but it’s not a done deal.

“I would love to see some sort of garden or some sort of public amphitheater or park, where we could have events like an event space or concerts, but not privatized, more so public. That way, you know, anybody can go, and it’s open to the public,” said Emma Coleman, a neighborhood local.

“More cultural activities, art shows, things of that nature, I think would be great for the area in general,” said Olivia Talmage, a neighborhood local.

All these people, others and the mayor want to see Midtown transformed.

“I’ve always been pretty clear on what I think should be done at Midtown, and that is something not nothing. There’s got to be something,” said Anderson.

There is a feedback survey you can take online in addition to attending Wednesday’s meeting.

Click here to take the survey.