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Cape Coral officials review history and proposed move of Parkway veterans monument
Summary
City staff and community volunteers outlined the monument’s local history and urged careful placement as Lee County’s bridge project will require relocating the Cape Coral veterans memorial. Staff recommended not restoring the fountain at the new site because of visibility, maintenance and contract constraints tied to a nearby billboard.
The Cape Coral City Council committee heard a historical overview and relocation plan Wednesday for the veterans memorial on Cape Coral Parkway, which must be moved as part of the county’s bridge reconstruction project.
The presentation traced the monument’s origins to community fundraising in 1968 and its dedication May 3, 1969. Robert Greco of Acura Electric, who has led several restoration campaigns and donated the monument’s lighting, described the tower as “a symbol of Cape Coral” and urged the city and county to preserve public access at its new location.
Council members and staff said the county’s bridge-design work requires relocating the monument and that staff has coordinated with Lee County on possible landing sites. City staff recommended placing the monument closer to the pedestrian walkway and not reinstalling the fountain that was added during a later renovation, citing likely higher maintenance costs, saltwater exposure and reduced visibility if the roadway elevation changes.
Greco reviewed the monument’s fundraising and construction history, including original organizing by community groups and a 1968 fundraising drive. He described later restorations — lighting installed in 1999, a median restoration that added a fountain and medallions in 2000, and a 2020 refresh that included color-changing lighting and replacement medallions. Greco said community donors and businesses contributed labor, materials and funding for those efforts.
City staff reported recorded maintenance costs for the fountain and associated equipment since about 2013 total approximately $52,000, and said extending new water service to a relocated site would add project costs. For those reasons staff recommended the monument be relocated without restoring the fountain.
Council members emphasized accessibility and safety in choosing a landing site. Several members urged moving the monument slightly west toward a wider grassy area so pedestrians could safely approach and gather, rather than leaving it tucked near a merge lane. Members also noted the monument’s civic value and urged treating it “with respect.”
The discussion also covered a preexisting visibility corridor tied to a 20‑year billboard agreement with Lamar; city staff said placing the monument inside that corridor could expose the city to contract damages. Staff said the monument’s new siting will require coordination with Lee County and the billboard owner to avoid breaching visibility agreements.
Council did not take a formal vote Wednesday. Staff said they will continue working with Lee County on final placement, will seek a location that preserves pedestrian access, and will not reestablish the fountain unless technical and maintenance issues can be solved.
