Wasted potential with Cape Coral canals (school, restaurants, linear)

[rikoshaprl]

If I was a city planner a marina built close to Downtown Cape Coral, not at Freedom Park which is too far from the action. I would like to see an extension added to the Bikini Basin. There is a large vacant lot between Waikiki Ave and Del Prado that could be dredged like they did in Downtown Fort Myers. The parking lot could be relocated to the empty space to the east of the area. A new canal could connect Bikini Basin to the new Marina that could be built at this location. Slips could be used for customers in the Cape Coral Downtown. Access to Bikini Ct could be relocated and a couple of private boat slips would need to be provided in the marina to replace the ones lost where the canal would cross Waikiki Ave. Property values would soar in the area. It could be a rain water detention basin to "treat" runoff with a big fountain like they did in Fort Myers. An esplanade could be incorporated with some changes to Del Prado Blvd.

[PonceDeLeon]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

To the point of not many 30 year olds: The Cape Downtown has gotten pretty hip in the last couple of years. There are plenty of people in their 30's. Check out Nevermind, Dixie Roadhouse, The Dek, Nice Guys Beer and Pizza, Tubby's City (gay bar), No. 3 Craft Brews, Backstreets, Rack em Billiards, Cork Soakers, Ralph's, Cape Coral Brewing Co., Monkey Bar and Tiki Hut. Generally the later you go the younger the crowd. The Downtown has even become a destination from other areas.

I agree with rikoshaprl. There are lots of 30-ish year old people at BackStreets, Dek Bar, etc. Most of the places in and around the east part of Cape Coral Parkway and SE 47th Terrace are the happening places. ... And the newly opened Duffy's location seems to never have a slow night. It's packed even Sunday to Tuesday nights! I've never seen a place so crazy busy that shortly after opening as Duffy's is.

[LifeIsGood01]

I doubt it's ever going to amount to much. The reason canal cities in Europe have bustling canals is because they are cities and because there are few roads so they are forced to use the canals to travel.

[SWFL_Native]

The canals in cape coral are a nuisance for travel. The speed limit is slower than I can walk and if you go above it there are thousands of old gramps sitting in their back yard waiting to call CCPD on you. At most you will see dozens of houses with docks with some late 80's / early 90's almost rusted out pontoon boat stranded beside it. At best it is used by the resident once or twice until the lameness sits in.

On a side note I did see frequent bass boat activity fishing in the canals but for the life of me I couldn't picture someone actually eating a fish caught from one of them. The toxicity from runoff has to be through the rough as it's a glorified sewer.

[rikoshaprl]

Originally Posted by SWFL_Native

The canals in cape coral are a nuisance for travel. The speed limit is slower than I can walk and if you go above it there are thousands of old gramps sitting in their back yard waiting to call CCPD on you. At most you will see dozens of houses with docks with some late 80's / early 90's almost rusted out pontoon boat stranded beside it. At best it is used by the resident once or twice until the lameness sits in.

On a side note I did see frequent bass boat activity fishing in the canals but for the life of me I couldn't picture someone actually eating a fish caught from one of them. The toxicity from runoff has to be through the rough as it's a glorified sewer.

I see hundreds of boaters using the canals out to the river. The salt water access canal water is not toxic at all, especially closer to the river. They are tidal which exchanges the water. We also get 50 inches of clean rainwater every year. You can check the water quality here:
Finisterre Lake, 65A - CHNEP.WaterAtlas.org

[PonceDeLeon]

I live on one of the main saltwater canals, and see TONS of boats going by. Also, the dolphins enjoy eating the fish out of the canal. Dolphins are no dummies. ... Smartest critter in the ocean. If it was that polluted, the dolphins wouldn't be coming in to feed in the canals. There's plenty of fish outside the canals, too, if the dolphins wanted to feed there.






.

[MillennialUrbanist]

Originally Posted by PonceDeLeon

Dolphins are no dummies. ... Smartest critter in the ocean. If it was that polluted, the dolphins wouldn't be coming in to feed in the canals. There's plenty of fish outside the canals, too, if the dolphins wanted to feed there.

That's because in the open water, fish will scatter in all directions when they see a dolphin approaching. But in the canals, fish are constrained on two sides, leaving only one possible escape path: straight ahead. But a dolphin can swim faster. So they go after the fish, catch them, and enjoy a nice dinner, minus the french fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce. Simply put, dolphins are smart enough to take the path of least resistance: going where the fish can't easily escape from them. Are the canals polluted? Possibly. But like humans, dolphins are willing to sacrifice quality to gain convenience. Hey, we eat GMO corn and soybeans, so why can't dolphins eat fish from man-made canals?

[PonceDeLeon]

That did cross my mind, but the dolphins in open waters are just as well fed as the ones that make occasional forays up the canals. Next time you're out in the gulf, watch their behavior. Sometimes, you'll witness them work in teams and surround fish schools. The canals actually inhibit some of this multi-dolphin teamwork, as dolphins need a lot of room when performing this circular corralling maneuver. But, when done in the open water, this circular corralling leaves the fish with no direction to go but into one or more of the dolphins' attack path. The canals allow a "linear" corralling, but the open water allows a circular corralling, where more dolphins can join the team effort. Have you seen this dolphion teamwork, MillennialUrbanist? It's really cool to see!

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by rikoshaprl

If I was a city planner a marina built close to Downtown Cape Coral, not at Freedom Park which is too far from the action. I would like to see an extension added to the Bikini Basin. There is a large vacant lot between Waikiki Ave and Del Prado that could be dredged like they did in Downtown Fort Myers. The parking lot could be relocated to the empty space to the east of the area. A new canal could connect Bikini Basin to the new Marina that could be built at this location. Slips could be used for customers in the Cape Coral Downtown. Access to Bikini Ct could be relocated and a couple of private boat slips would need to be provided in the marina to replace the ones lost where the canal would cross Waikiki Ave. Property values would soar in the area. It could be a rain water detention basin to "treat" runoff with a big fountain like they did in Fort Myers. An esplanade could be incorporated with some changes to Del Prado Blvd.

Environmentalists would try and kill it, just like they killed the Esplanade shopping mall/marina back in 2001. Originally it was to have been the mecca of Marco island by land and sea, plans were changed in favor of the manatee. I used to feed some pretty huge turtles in those canals, among other marine life. I would imagine any development of canals on the cape would be met with the same resistance.

[PonceDeLeon]

Originally Posted by Sunbiz1

Environmentalists would try and kill it, just like they killed the Esplanade shopping mall/marina back in 2001. Originally it was to have been the mecca of Marco island by land and sea, plans were changed in favor of the manatee. I used to feed some pretty huge turtles in those canals, among other marine life. I would imagine any development of canals on the cape would be met with the same resistance.

What was the reasoning they gave on how the new canals/development would be any more harmful than the 400 miles of canals already there? This reminds me of people who move into an area, and then want to stop any kind of development once they have moved there themselves. Sort of a mentality of ... "Okay, I am here now. I got mine, so all development can now stop.".