Wonder Gardens and Bonita Springs sign 10-year partnership

Writer: Sommer Senne
Published: Updated:
The Wonder Gardens mural
The Wonder Gardens and the City of Bonita Springs have reached a 10-year partnership. CREDIT: WINK News

Step inside the Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs, and you’ll be transported to an oasis filled with birds, turtles and flowers.

“It’s a nice place,” said visitor Barbara Nightingale. “You could come and just read and hang out for a while to relax.”

As of April 3, this oasis will stick around.

The Wonder Gardens and the City of Bonita Springs reached a 10-year renewable public-private partnership.

“To go ahead and have this on the launchpad is really exciting,” said Neil Anderson, CEO and president of the Wonder Gardens.

Anderson knew the gardens needed sprucing up after Hurricane Ian, so he billed the plan “Renewing the Wonder.”

“We’re an Old Florida historic attraction,” Anderson said. But in the same sentence, we don’t have to be old and rundown, right?”

To bring the plan to life, he needed the city’s involvement.

The organizations moved from “us” and “them” to “we.”

That “we” keeps the “Old Florida” attraction alive for the next decade.

“Bonita Springs is old Florida to me,” said Christine Burns. “I didn’t want to see any of it get laid to waste.”

Sisters Christine Burns and Marilyn Heiselman had never been to the Wonder Gardens until today.

“It’s up close and personal,” Burns said. “The lady in there who’s holding the bird couldn’t have been nicer.”

“We want you to leave with a treasure in your heart,” said Anderson.

Anderson is working on bringing more treasures to the Wonder Gardens, including a canopy tour, an animal care center and a new gator hole.

“We have a great foundation to go forward for the future,” he said.

The City of Bonita Springs provided WINK News a statement saying, “The City is happy to have reached a comprehensive agreement for sucha staple in downtown Bonita Springs. Downtown is ripe with development, and the corridor is on the cusp of a new era. The Wonder Gardens is reminiscent of Old Florida giving a connection to the past for our community. This has been a long time coming for all parties involved. The City encourages you to visit the Wonder Gardens and downtown Bonita Springs soon!”

Anderson said the 10-year master plan will be finished as quickly as possible with the community’s financial support.

The first renovation will be the river otter exhibit, which will hopefully open sometime this fall.

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