CAPE CORAL, Fla. — The fence is up but the fight is still on for Jaycee Park.
The Save Jaycee Park movement met at the park on Tuesday as this construction fence went up.
"It's heartbreaking," said one supporter of the Save Jaycee Park movement."It's been 15 months of frustration and now it's a broken heart."
But they say it's not the end of their fight to keep the park the way it is.
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"Nobody is opposed to change, particularly if it benefits a community, but what benefit is there? Look at this beautiful park this morning. What benefit is there to put foot trucks and band shells in a small park?" said Anne Berchtold, a Save Jaycee Park supporter.
The park will soon have food trucks, splash pads, and will allow alcohol.
"I mean, you're never happy to see a park close, but the reasons why we're closing it, I'm excited about," said Tom Hayden, Cape Coral City Councilmember.
Fox 4's Bella Line met with Cape Councilman Tom Hayden after protestors of the renovation brought signs and their opinions as the fence went up Tuesday morning.
"It'll bring about another destination point for one of our very few waterfront parks and I think that's a key reason why the renovations, to me, makes sense," said Hayden.
However, these renovations have brought concerns for the people who live by the park about how it will fare with another hurricane after the Australian Pines are gone and the noise levels.
The plans will move forward despite their efforts and the park is expected to reopen in the fall of 2025.
"We'll continue to listen to them but the fact the matter is, we're moving forward with the renovations to the park and today was the first step in that," said Hayden.
Hayden says the Australian Pines are next to be removed from the park.
