Cape Coral City Council agreed last Wednesday to further discuss a possible agreement with the Dragon Boat Club at Crystal Lake Park.
Councilmember Laurie Lehmann brought the topic of the Dragon Boat Club using space at Crystal Lake Park at the workshop.
“Right now, they are using the Burnt Store boat ramp which, as boaters know, is a congested nightmare,” she said. “They would like to use Crystal Lake Park for tournaments, and the canal, which I realize leads to the North Spreader to launch the boats. They would like that to be a permanent residence. They want to have an area where they can put racks.”
Lehmann said the majority of the people that use the dragon boats are older residents.
City Manager Michael Ilczyczyn provided some clarity for council.
He said the Dragon Boat Club currently uses the Burnt Store Boat Ramp four days a week — three days in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
The club is storing its boats off Zemel Road and putting them on a trailer to put in at the boat ramp.
With the club growing in membership it is looking for a place to reside, as they have been asked to leave the site where they currently keep their boats.
The location they discussed with the club, Ilczyszyn said, is behind the scenic overlook, behind the overlook to the west at Crystal Lake Park.
“We built a boat ramp at the Crystal Lake Park. On the west size of the canal is where the parking and boat ramp is. On the east side, the city owns about eight lots that have unidentified future use. One has a seawall,” he said, adding that they want to do their exercises, competition work and take boats out.
Ilczyszyn said they are looking to hopefully enter into an agreement to utilize eight lots that have no future use and are underutilized right now.
Lehmann said they want to come up with an agreement to use Crystal Lake Park for the tournaments.
Councilmember Jennifer Nelson Lastra asked if the topic could be placed on a future workshop meeting agenda for a more appropriate discussion of their needs and desires.
Mayor John Gunter said this particular organization is out of Charlotte County.
“It’s a slippery slope. We haven’t finalized the rowing club agreement yet. This is a slippery slope – start allowing nonprofits into your park. Where does it end? I would caution all of my colleagues. Once you start down this slippery slope sometimes you can’t catch yourself,” he said.
The council agreed to bring back the topic at a future workshop.
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