March 16, 2022 / Issue #2022-11

St. Patrick's Day Parade is on the south end of the Island and starts at 10 a.m. at Santini Plaza (7205 Estero Boulevard*) and ends at Church of the Ascension (6025 Estero Boulevard*)

*This section of Estero Boulevard will be closed during the parade. 

This month at Mound House

March 17 through March 26, 2022

March 2022  program calendar

March 2022  Outdoor Nature & Education Events
April 2022  Outdoor Nature & Education Events

Caloosa Carvers at The Mound House host free public carving demonstrations on the first and third Tuesday of each month through tourism season from 9 a.m. to Noon. 

The next Caloosa Carvers Mound House program is on Tuesday, 
April 5 following by last sessions on April 19.

In addition to their free public demonstrations, these talented woodcarvers provide the Mound House with hands-on educational tools for school groups and the general public.

www.moundhouse.org

Bay Oaks is hosting a health fair on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

13th Annual Cruiser's Appreciation Day
under the Matanzas Pass Bridge
Friday, March 25, from 1 to 5 p.m.

The Anchorage Advisory Committee invites the public and all patrons of the Matanzas Pass Mooring Field to celebrate the 13^th Annual Cruiser’s Appreciation Day on Friday, March 25, 2022, from 1 p.m. to  5 p.m.  The location will be in the Town parking lot under the Matanzas Pass Bridge, informally known as the Sky Bridge, between Nervous Nellies and Matanzas on the Bay.
 
This event is FREE for everyone and will feature barbeque, drinks, door prizes, giveaways and friendly island hospitality. This year’s menu will be served by Brooke's Nugget Wagon. Beer, soft drinks and water will be available for purchase at reasonable prices.
 
Crossing the Sky Bridge to Fort Myers Beach offers a bird’s eye view of the Town’s Matanzas Pass Mooring Field. This event is an opportunity to meet and mingle with Mooring Field patrons and learn about their vessels, extensive travels and the Mooring Field. Boaters renting a mooring ball on the day of the event will receive a free lunch.
 
The Matanzas Pass Mooring Field provides 70 mooring balls available for rental year-round at $19/day, $107/week or $323/month including tax. The rental fee includes use of the shower, laundry facilities and vessel pump-out service. A public dinghy dock is available for public use to tie up dinghies of 10’ or less (no overnight tie-ups). The Town’s Mooring Field is very popular and highly acclaimed by boaters throughout Florida.
 
The Administrative Office for the Mooring Field is located at 450 Old San Carlos Boulevard, Suite 109, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The phone number is 239-224-4118. The Marine Channel is 16.  

Experience the first outdoor movie on the field at Bay Oaks Recreational Campus 

 The staff and board of Bay Oaks Recreational Campus are excited to present the facility’s first ever outdoor movie on the large ball field.

“The Goonies” will be shown on Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m.

Admission is FREE and the public is invited. Guests are invited to bring chairs or blankets for seating on the grass. Alcohol is not permitted. Friends of Bay Oaks, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, will be offering concessions. Proceeds from the sale of refreshments will support future programming at Bay Oaks.

Bay Oaks Recreational Campus encompasses 15 acres and is operated by the Town of Fort Myers Beach. It houses a community pool, two baseball/softball fields, a disc golf course, three outdoor pickleball courts, four tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, and a gym with a fitness center.

Also provided are summer youth programs, after-school programs, and adult and senior programs and classes. The campus has a variety of open natural space for the community and visitors to enjoy.

Plans are underway to significantly redevelop Bay Oaks with construction expected to start this year and be completed in 2023.

Ribbon-cutting to celebrate the completion of the Estero Boulevard Improvement Project is March 30 at 9 a.m.

Lee County is inviting the public to a ribbon-cutting for the completion of the Estero Boulevard improvement project at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 30, at Charley’s Boat House Grill parking lot, 6241 Estero Boulevard.

The ceremony will feature brief remarks by the Lee County Commissioners, Town Mayor Ray Murphy, and other officials.

The $80 million project was started in 2015 to improve all six miles of Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach. Improvements include:

• Sidewalks on both sides of Estero Boulevard for the entire length
• Center turn lanes along much of the corridor
• Trolley pull-offs and stops
• On-road bike lanes from Red Coconut RV Park to the south end of the island
• Safety improvements at crosswalks
• Improved drainage

Attendees who live or work on Fort Myers Beach are encouraged to bicycle or walk to the ribbon-cutting. Attendees can also use LeeTran, which has departures from the Bowditch area hourly beginning at 6:32 a.m. Service times may be impacted by traffic. 

To attend the ceremony virtually visit:  www.facebook.com/leecountyflbocc
to watch on Facebook live.  

For more information about the project and the event, visit:  https://refreshfmbeach.com/.

For more information about Lee County Department of Transportation, visit:  www.leegov.com/dot. 

It’s time to recognize outstanding citizens, groups, organizations and businesses
 Nominations for annual awards set by Town Council are due by March 31 in the following categories:

Learn about the Citizens of Distinction awards

Nomination form for Citizens of Distinction

Nomination form for Stewardship Award

 Friends of the Mound House planning live auction, strolling supper fundraiser on April 8

Friends of the Mound House, a nonprofit organization that supports educational programs and events at Mound House, invites the public to its upcoming live auction and strolling supper fundraiser on Friday, April 8.

 “Artful Intersection 3.0” will be from 7 to 9 p.m. outside on the grounds of Mound House at 451 Connecticut Street in Fort Myers Beach. Tickets are $75 a person and can be purchased online.

The live auction will include unique items such as material carved out of the Mound House Strangler Fig from the Caloosa Carvers, original artwork, and more.

Mound House is the oldest standing structure on Fort Myers Beach dating back to the 1920s. It is a property of the Town of Fort Myers Beach with the mission to preserve, interpret, and share 2,000 years of cultural and environmental history of Fort Myers Beach and Southwest Florida.

Mound House sits atop a 2,000 year old Calusa Indian shell mound and opened in 2015 as a museum and cultural experience after undergoing restoration. The grounds include an observation pier over Estero Bay, a kayak launch, and historic gardens with a variety of native plants, birds, trees, butterflies, and other wildlife.

Tours of the House are conducted Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A shop with unique gift items is also open during museum hours.

Bay Oaks Social Seniors Upcoming Events 

Environmental education booth schedule

Representatives from the Marine Resources Task Force (MRTF) are hosting a pop-up educational booth at various locations around Town

FMB Community Pool will be closed on Wednesday, March 30

The pool will be closed due to a training course that staff need to receive their Certified Pool Operator Certificates. 

Shoutout to the FMB Lions Club for a successful return of the Shrimp Festival last weekend!

Tips for Pedestrian Safety

By Ron Peters
Director of Risk & Safety Management at the Florida League of Cities
rpeters@flcities.com  

With warm days and cool nights, springtime in Florida offers some of the best outdoor weather. As residents and visitors alike spend more time outside and exploring Florida’s cities, municipalities should continue their ongoing efforts in creating a safe environment for pedestrians.

In 2019 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida had the second most pedestrian fatalities in the nation and ranked second for pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population. Educating others on pedestrian safety is one way to help protect residents and visitors in your city.  

The  National Safety Council (NSC)  offers tips to stay safe as a pedestrian: 

• Walk on the sidewalk when possible, and face traffic when a sidewalk is not available.
• Follow traffic signs and signals.
• Use crosswalks to cross streets.
• Look both directions before crossing the street.
• Stay alert by refraining from using a cell phone or wearing earbuds.
• Avoid alcohol and drug impairment.
• Wear bright, reflective clothing if walking at night.
• Watch for cars when crossing driveways or parking lots. 

• Obey traffic laws
• Watch for pedestrians
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks
• Never pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks
• Stay alert and never drive distracted
• Never drive under the influence.

Bicycle bells & lights for purchase at Town Hall

It may not be a pretty subject, but it's an important one

Trash collection in the Town is handled by a contracted service provider through an agreement with Lee County Government. 

Manatees are starting to return to the back Bay after spending the cooler weather months inland in warmer water.

It's a good time for reminders about 
 how to do your part to protect them 

Keep up on the schedule of Town Council and advisory committee meetings

View the meeting calendar on the Town's website

Upcoming meetings

The Town of Fort Myers Beach has partnered with DemandStar which is open and accessible to all businesses and gives instant access to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs 

Read more about bids and proposals