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Former Goodland Civic Association president and current board member, Earl "Tom" Cowles, says the county's boat park, which is now under construction, does not fit the needs of the quiet village, which lacks proper green space and meeting space more than boat parking space. Lance Shearer/ Special to the Eagle
Photo by LANCE SHEARER, Special to the Eagle
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Former Goodland Civic Association president and current board member, Earl "Tom" Cowles, says the county's boat park, which is now under construction, does not fit the needs of the quiet village, which lacks proper green space and meeting space more than boat parking space. Lance Shearer/ Special to the Eagle
GOODLAND — The long-discussed and sometimes controversial Goodland boat-launching facility is becoming a reality. Construction has commenced on the county park at the southern tip of Goodland, confirmed Collier County Coastal Zone Management Director Gary McAlpen.
A contract for the $1.7 million construction cost was signed in March with local contractor BCBE, he said, and construction has began. With an additional $500,000 in engineering and permitting costs, and land cost of nearly $4.6 million, the total cost to create the five-acre county park is almost $7 million.
The park is expected to be completed by the end of this September, said McAlpen. Consisting largely of a parking lot to accommodate boat trailers.
“This is primarily a boat park,” he said. “The main purpose is to have access. There may be activities to support the public, but this is designed primarily for boat access.”
There will be docks for fishing and observation and 12 wet boat slips are included in the plans. The shoreline at the property is protected mangroves, which McAlpen said will be maintained wherever possible, and any mangroves which must be removed, will be replaced through mitigation.
When complete, the park will include approximately 67 trailer-capable parking slots, based on the layout supplied by the county. The two-lane launching ramp will provide more direct access for boat traffic to the Ten Thousand Islands than has previously been available from county facilities, although a commercial boat launch ramp already exists nearby at Calusa Bay Marina.
It is the road traffic that has many Goodland residents concerned.
Earl “Tom” Cowles was president of the Goodland Civic Association in 2004, when the county park was approved by commissioners. He led the fight against the facility then, and he isn’t happy now that it is soon to open.
Cowles said he worries about the congestion and hazards from all the vehicles pulling boat trailers on the village’s twisting access road and residential streets.
“It can take 15 minutes to get out to the highway on weekends,” Cowles said. “And people in Goodland walk the streets. There’s no doubt in my mind this will lower property values in Goodland.
“It’s not a park, it’s a boat launch facility. We thought we were going to get a park. We really could have used some green space and a place for community activities. There’s as much park here as there is pork in a can of pork and beans.”
The civic association proposed the idea of relocating the county boat ramp out by the bridge to keep the increased road traffic out of Goodland, but the county had already spent millions of dollars to acquire the property at the end of Palm Point Drive.
“This park is absolutely a good thing,” countered local fisherman and Coastal Conservation Association member Terry Metzger. “The biggest problem for fishermen nationwide is lack of access. It’s always good to have more access and less congestion.”
Increased traffic is a concern on water as well as land. The Goodland park “may put a few more boats on the water, but it will take the strain off some of the other boat ramps,” said Metzger.
People have a right to have access to the water, said local fishing guru Red Steir, but he reserved judgment on whether the Goodland park is a good thing.
“It amazes me they got it. I was under the impression it was a moot item. That park will be filled on weekends. But something has to give.” He pointed to Key Biscayne on Florida’s east coast as an example of congestion run wild.
The larger question, said Stier, is how to deal with the increasing pressure on local waterways and fish populations from an ever-growing number of boaters and fishermen.
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Comments » 3
fatiguedelavie writes:
95% of the residents of Goodland did not want this boat ramp. Marla Ramsey and the other county hacks extorted this under threat of building a high rise condo instead. There has always been a good alternative near the Goodland Bridge. This is an unbelievable example of government intervention, infringement on personal property rights, and arrogance on a grand scale.
When the over flow trailers park in people yards and thier tires get slashed, when the crime grows, the fish die, pollution grows, endangered species disappear, and land values plummet: We'll see you under the Bert Harris Act.
When the traffic prevents emergency vehicles, homes and businesses burn down, people start dieing, and riots break out: We will dust off the public record warnings against exceeding the traffic capacity of this tiny road, and we will see you under a gross negligence class action that will make the $7,000,000 look small.
Hundreds of boats a day, Airboat tours, helicopters hovering daily, over fishing, pollution: This once pristine fishing village is being loved to death.
Great job Marla Ramsey!! I hope you feel vindicated. All because you came ill prepared to real town hall meeting and got sent packing. I still can't believe you broke into tears and ran away, and then did this to us. Donna Fiala was sitting right next to you, she didn't cry. I think we needed someone smarter, and not so timid and mean. We should name the park after you, so we can remember the Ramsey's.
So go ahead: pave paradise and put up another parking lot. Rest easy at night, another piece of old Florida is gone forever, no more worries.
lla1202 writes:
OMG! That pork and beans comment is classy! You're really worried about housing value because of a boat ramp? Have you seen the news lately? You should be happy that people in Goodland can still ride the coatails of Marco Island. I will tell you what will make the home value's go up, let some of the octogenarians die off and make room for some families and people who will spend money and not coupon clipping millionaires who look forward to making a scene every Sunday at the local walgreens because they are out of the jello in the ad.
matt#206381 writes:
I won't want to see Goodland on a Sunday during Season. How the hell is all that traffic going to get through?
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