Roberto Clemente Park roared back to life Dec. 5 as Dunbar residents, local leaders and families celebrated the unveiling of its new 21-foot slide — now the tallest in Southwest Florida — and a slate of long-awaited upgrades.
The 10-acre park had been closed since March for construction of the playground and other improvements, including an amphitheater, landscaping, lighting, artwork and additional amenities. The project was funded in part by $1.375 million in Fort Myers capital improvement dollars and a $1 million state grant.
The park is a cornerstone of Fort Myers history. Named for Hall of Fame right fielder Roberto Clemente and located at 3265 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., it houses the Williams Academy Black History Museum and the Lee County Black History Society offices.
City officials, community leaders and families participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the reopening of Roberto Clemente Park. The project was funded by city capital dollars and a state grant.
Evan Williams
“To see this in our community for our children and the children of Lee County is really a blessing,” said Black History Society Treasurer Harriet Myers. “It will bring more people out, which will bring recognition to the Black History Museum.”
Fort Myers resident Sarah Mackos, 36, visited the park for the first time with her two young children. She said her family moved from Massachusetts last year and is working its way through every park in the city.
“We love being outside,” she said. “I try to get the kids outside every day.”
State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka brought her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Hunter, to the celebration. She secured state dollars for the project and dedicated the effort to her stepson, Charlie.
Dunbar residents and local leaders gather Dec. 5 at Roberto Clemente Park to celebrate its reopening and the debut of new playground features. The park had been closed since March for major upgrades.
Evan Williams
“My message was, I want to provide a playground for all the Charlies in our community and make sure they all have access to something special,” she said in a statement before participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The site has evolved significantly over the decades. In the 1950s, the area served as a nursing home for Black residents before becoming a counseling and recreation center. It later became home to the Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon Public Library before the library moved to Blount Street. The Williams Academy Museum at the center of the park once served as part of the first government-funded school for Black students in Fort Myers, according to the Black History Society.
State Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka speaks during the park’s reopening celebration. She helped secure $1 million in state funding for the project.
Evan Williams
Segregation-era Jim Crow laws also shaped the story of the park’s namesake. Between 1955 and 1968, Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemente came to Fort Myers for spring training games. After playing at Terry Park off Palm Beach Boulevard, the Puerto Rican right fielder was barred from staying in downtown hotels with white teammates. Instead, he lived in a private residence on Lime Street in Dunbar’s “The Bottom” neighborhood, near the park that now bears his name.
The residence, owned by the late Etta and Charlie Powell, has since been razed. The Powells were among several families who rented rooms to Black players during that era. Clemente died at age 38 on Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane crashed while delivering supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
A child climbs the new multilevel rope structure installed as part of the park’s remodeled playground. The equipment is designed to support active, inclusive play.
Evan Williams
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said the upgrades at Clemente Park reflect a broader citywide effort to expand the park system.
In May, City Council also approved an agreement with the Black History Society to build a Black Cultural Center at the park. While cost estimates have ranged from about $9 million to $12.8 million and higher, early plans call for a three-story, 5,000-square-foot building featuring an art gallery, community gathering space and production studios.
A decorated Christmas tree glows at Roberto Clemente Park ahead of the park’s holiday festival, So Winter Wonderland. The event will feature live music, games and a tree lighting.
Evan Williams
If you go
Clemente Park will host its annual holiday festival, So Winter Wonderland, from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 6. The event, organized by the Black History Society, will feature live music, food trucks, games, toy giveaways, a tree lighting, a visit from Santa and a snow play zone made with several tons of shaved ice. Roberto Clemente Jr. is expected to attend as a special guest.