Residents give input for redesign of Cape Coral Yacht Club

Eighteen months after Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc on its shores, the Cape Coral Yacht Club is one step closer to becoming not just what it once was but hopefully even better.

“A lot more amenities, newer amenities, more parking. It’s gonna be great pre-facility when we get done,” said David Hyyti, Interim Director of Capital Improvements.

Neighbors from all over the Cape gathered at the Mercola Market Tuesday night to learn more about the city’s selected design option, ask questions, and make their opinions known.

“I think it’s a big fiasco myself,” said Cape Coral resident Ken Kendrick.

“It’s gonna be a diamond in Cape Coral,” said Bob Sutter, another Cape Coral resident.

But the biggest concern on everyone’s mind? The parking.

While new, the plan calls for more spots in one big parking garage. Many think it’s too far from the beach

“It was a drive up the beach. There was a parking space. So you have to now park in the parking lot or drag your two or three kids through the walkway area, and then you’re gonna get to the beach. It just doesn’t flow with the parking pretty far away from the boathouse that might kill the boathouse,” Kendrick said.

While Sutter agrees the parking should be more accessible, he was impressed with the design and is happy to see more parking in general.

“In the past, there just wasn’t enough parking to get anywhere in there, let alone in snowbird season,” said Sutter. “This is the long-term vision of what Cape Coral should look like.”

The good news for those who don’t like it?

“There’s always a chance to make some tweaks in the plan,” said Hyyti. “Like I said, this is the end of the preliminary design phase. We’re going to move into the final design. So this is this is the time to make any changes.”

If you’d like to see the plans up close for yourself and provide your feedback, the city is hosting another meeting at the Mercola Market on ​Tuesday, May 7, at 6 p.m.