The
Subject: Caloos Belle: Nature Paradise lost or saved? City eyes park project
http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/07/11/fl/labelle/cb02.txt
Nature:
By Patty Brant
The real
Conversely, interest in Old Florida is still high. Even those who
choose to live in condominiums want to be able to experience a slice of
The City of
Since 1991, the city has held a 50-year lease on the property, which is owned by the South Florida Water Management District. According to the terms of the lease, it must be used for recreational purposes or it will revert to the District. At that point, it would most likely be sold and become the site of more private homes. Homesites are already being sold on the adjacent property on the east side.
The city commissioners, particularly Paul Puletti and Bob Miller, are very interested in holding on to this property. They are especially interested in using it for various types of passive recreation n kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, picnicking n the list would certainly go on.
Margaret England, one of LaBelle's
foremost environmentalists, is very excited about the prospect of creating a
park there. Standing on the property, she can visualize it as a natural
treasure. The city has other parks n
Make no mistake: it will take a lot of work to shape the property
into this vision of pristine Old Florida. The property is overgrown. Native
plants will have to be scaled back in places; exotics must be eradicated. The
end result, however, would be a treasure for everyone, Ms.
The property is actually all spoil bank, left over from the last
time the river was dredged. It is located west of Riverbend
Estates and is actually in
The area encompasses several distinct environmental areas, with oak
hammocks, water hickory and cabbage palms; ferns, sawgrass,
flame vine, lantana, pepper grass and grapevines. The trees and the sky are
home to
If the property is to become a public trust for Old Florida nature, the city will have to act quickly to come up with a plan and find funding. It will not be a short process.
A coalition of groups is interested in being part of a workshop for passive day use canoeing, hiking and ecotourism. The City has an easement for ingress and egress. Commissioner and Mayor-elect Paul Puletti has said he welcomes any assistance in trying to create a city park there and wants to get the neighboring residents of Riverbend Estates onboard with the project.