May 2024 Newsletter
Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation
👒May, 2024👒
Newsletter
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundations' Mission is to enhance the beauty and experience of Lakes Park
A Message From The President
Let's start with a great big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to join us for the 40th Anniversary of Lakes Park on April 20th, 2024. What a fantastic morning! It was wonderful to meet new people and have you join us on our newsletter mailing list. We gained 120 new followers which is outstanding! Thanks to all the Vendors who joined us. We hope you received some helpful information from them.
It's hard to believe that 40 years have passed since Lee County bought Lakes Park. To think a rock quarry could be turned into the beautiful park it is today. Check out the history of the Park, the Gardens and the Railroad on our website. Just click History on the drop-down menus at the top or scan the QR codes around the park to learn the fun facts.
It's also the 20th Anniversary of the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation. We have been assisting the park with many physical enhancements like the gardens and exercise stations not to mention the programs like story time for kids and most recently bringing you the Florida Repertory Theatre production of "Alexander and the Terrible Horrible Very Bad Day.
Those of you who came we hope you enjoyed it. Please keep checking our website and social media platforms to see what's next and check out the pictures from the events we host.
To our new readers welcome! Also thank you to our wonderful volunteers and staff for making Lakes Park the treasure it is today!
Barbara Manzo
President LPEF
barbara.manzo@lakespark.org
239-229-0387
Get to know us better!
Be on the lookout for QR Codes to scan with your phone. When you're at the train Station when you're in the Gardens and throughout Lakes Park.
You can learn the fascinating and wonderful History of these points of interest!
Highlights of Lakes Park
40th Anniversary Celebration
April 20th, 2024
The Lakes Park crew was sprucing up in anticipation of the
40-year celebration!
April 20th, 2024-
40 trees were planted in the morning with volunteers.
40 trees to commemorate our 40th year as a Regional Park.
A huge thank you to the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation who paid for all these trees.
Joe Debacker
Lakes Park
Highlights of the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Refuges' Carnival @ Lakes Park
40th Anniversary Celebration
April 20th, 2024
Highlights of the "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day performance at the Lakes Park Amphitheater by the Florida Repertory Theater for Young Children
April 23rd, 2024
Bird Patrol Led Nature Walks
1st Saturday of every month!
Bird & Nature Walk at Lakes Park every First Saturday, of every month!
The tour is FREE with paid parking | Parking is $1/hour or $5/all day
WHEN? 8 am Please arrive a few minutes earlier | walk starts promptly at 8 am
Meet at Shelter A7 located near the Train Station
Bring water, binoculars & sunscreen
Please wear comfortable shoes 👟 & dress for the weather
INFORMATION: 📞Call (239)533-7275
The Tour is FREE with PAID PARKING | Parking is $1/hour or $5/all day.
Birds on the Trail | April 6th, 2024
Lakes Park, Fort Myers US-FL 26.52803, -81.87608
Apr 6, 2024 | 7:46 AM | Traveling 2.90 miles 573 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes | Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.20.4 Build 2.20.28
3 Mottled Duck
3 Pied-billed Grebe
3 Eurasian Collared-Dove
2 Common Ground Dove
3 Mourning Dove
6 Common Gallinule
3 American Coot
2 Limpkin
1 Killdeer
5 Anhinga
2 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Little Blue Heron
3 Tricolored Heron
2 Snowy Egret
4 Green Heron
3 Great Egret
4 Great Blue Heron
100 White Ibis
5 Glossy Ibis
2 Roseate Spoonbill
2 Black Vulture
3 Turkey Vulture
2 Osprey
2 Bald Eagle
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
5 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Blue Jay
5 Fish Crow
4 Northern Mockingbird
12 Red-winged Blackbird
8 Common Grackle
6 Boat-tailed Grackle
2 Black-and-white Warbler
1 Hooded Warbler
2 Northern Parula
1 Yellow Warbler
3 Palm Warbler
1 Pine Warbler
1 Prairie Warbler
2 Northern Cardinal
Number of Taxa: 43
Farmers Market Every Wednesday
through June 2024
9am-1pm
🌼🌺Take a Botanic Garden Tour🌳🌿
Our Strolling Garden Tours will take you through the Fragrance Garden, the Community Garden & the Children's Garden
Every 2nd Saturday of the Month
9 am
The Fragrance Garden is a natural place for plant lovers, there you'll find nooks like the 🦋Butterfly Garden &🌹Heritage Rose Garden
The Community Garden provides a place for Locals to learn to grow their own food🍓🌻Volunteers harvest food from several dedicated beds to donate to a local soup kitchen
At The Children's Garden, you'll find places that inspire young minds, The Living Wall, The Fruit Loop Section with🍌"Banana Fort" a look-out fort to hide in & watch for wildlife🐰& whimsically designed musical play stations🌸
Children's Garden
Story Time in the Children's Garden
Please Note: This is our last Story Time of the season. We will see you all again in October. We'd like to thank everyone involved in making Story Time happen and Thanks to all who came out and enjoyed this activity!
Come in and meet Cooper the Caterpillar!
Paint a rock and add to his collection, get creative & help Cooper grow. This fun project is delightful & we thank you in advance for your participation!
Community Garden
All local gardens have a different purpose & mission. Lush, beautiful beds fill up the Lakes Park Community Garden! Our garden provides a place for locals to learn how to grow food & flowers. Year-round residents can rent one of the 4′ x 8′ beds. The Foundation provides the soil & tools
Fragrance Garden
In the Fragrance Garden, our Koi Pond is full of beautiful Koi fish. When you're here come & check it out but watch where you walk, we installed a new fence to remind passers-by that it's not safe to climb on the frog fountain or wad in the pond!
In honor of Lakes Park 40th Anniversary, The Peace Pole Project was initiated with the installation of a Peace Pole in the Fragrance Garden
🌹 Rose Garden Up Close 🌹
Leave your mark on Lakes Park !!
Dedicate a brick to a loved one. Honor them for years to come.
It's a perfect gift for Easter🦋, St. Patrick's Day🍀, Birthdays🍰, Anniversaries💍, Valentine's Day💗, Mother's Day🌼
Your donation will assist in creating beautiful paved paths in selected areas of the park. Three locations to choose from:
The Train Station, the Children’s Garden or the Rose Garden.
✔️Complete the form here: https://t.ly/Y03dO
Lakes Park Splash Pads Update
Our Splash Pads were severely damaged by the hurricane and unfortunately must be completely demolished and replaced. We are currently in the procurement process to find a vendor for replacement. Once that is completed, we will have a better estimate as to when they will be finished.
Check back to our page
for updates. We also have a splash pad at Veterans Park in Lehigh Acres- https://www.leegov.com/parks/parks/ veterans. Or we have four community swimming pools to enjoy- https://www.leegov.com/parks/pools.
Copyright © *|2024|* *|Lakes Park|*, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
*|PO Box 61076|* *|Ft. Myers, FL, 33906|*
The Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation
7330 Gladiolus Drive
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239) 533-7578
Donations
PLEASE MAIL DONATIONS TO:
Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation
P.O. Box 61076
Fort Myers, Fl. 33906-1076
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION oF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Registration #CH31520