Resident donates nearly $500K for downtown Fort Myers park

Fort Myers resident Debora Gillen has donated nearly $500,000 to a city agency to help with the construction of a park.

The gift, of $431,732, will be used to construct a Common Ground Pocket Park in the downtown redevelopment area, according to a statement. The donation, the release adds, will be instrumental in transforming the vacant lot at 2208 First Street into a “vibrant public space for residents and visitors to enjoy.” 

The money will go into the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget of the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency.

Gillen, according to the CRA, has inspired and championed the idea of a pocket park on First Street downtown. Gillen has donated money to the agency before, including $500,000 in 2022 to contribute to a $2.3 million floating pier project, according to previous CRA meeting memos. 

“The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners would like to express our sincere gratitude for the incredibly generous donation of $431,732.00 towards the development of ‘Common Ground,’ Fort Myers’ first-ever pocket park,” Fort Myers CRA Executive Director Michele Hylton-Terry says in the release. “We are particularly grateful for her continued support of the Downtown River District. Her previous funding for the planter box project has already significantly enhanced the area’s aesthetics, and ‘Common Ground’ will undoubtedly build upon that positive impact.”

The CRA, the release states, envisions “Common Ground” as a welcoming green oasis in the heart of downtown, offering opportunities for relaxation, community gatherings and special events. 

Since 1984, the CRA has managed redevelopment trusts to revitalize blighted areas in the City of Fort Myers. This reinvestment can take the form of public infrastructure, residential and commercial grant programs, public arts, affordable housing development, safety initiatives and historic preservation.