Downtown Fort Myers
I would just like to begin by saying that I had the best time in Downtown Fort Myers; my group and I went to Starbucks, the soap shop (where I bought myself some fancy soap) , stopped for pizza, and played on the instruments at the library. We enjoyed walking around, and I had some pretty insightful conversations with my peers. I also found the bus ride to and from the school to be very relaxing, I never get to just sit back and enjoy a ride, so that was very nice. Overall this was a very nice experience, it was just unfortunate that it was so hot outside!
I have been to Downtown Fort Myers before but I was not really evaluating my surroundings like I was this time. I noticed that the Downtown area had a lot of work being done to it. The park was being fixed up and a couple buildings were being painted. This is good for the moral of the locals (town pride) and it looks pleasing to tourist customers. Centennial Park seemed well kept but it was not really a traditional park as in there was no playground. I usually expect a playground when I go to a park, so it was not as family friendly as I thought it would be. The park was very well shaded though and the fountain in the center was beautiful and interesting based on the history (figure a). I wish I could have heard the fellow giving the history better but I did hear him mention that the fort nearby was actually a Union fort which was shocking. I think confederate when I think of the South, so that was interesting. Also the statute in the park was of a colored soldier and is the only one in the South I believe (figure b). I could be wrong because it was hard to hear with the construction happening.
Figure a
Figure b
It was very hot on Tuesday, September 20th. I thought that there could be more trees along the sidewalks for shade. Walking around made me very sweaty, especially because my group and I were not the best with directions and ended up going back and forth a couple of times to make it to the assigned locations. There is some trees but they happen randomly and in batches along the streets. The tree areas would also have the drains in them and the island structure that we learned about in class (figure c). There are plenty of benches, trash cans, recycling bins (but more trash cans than recycling bins), bike racks, and signs for pedestrians and vehicles (figure d).
Figure c
Figure d
There are plenty of stores that are aimed at both locals and tourists. There is a good amount of banks and places to eat. There are ice cream shops, art galleries (figure e), and clothes stores all bunched together in a relatively close distance. There is also a fair amount of vacant stores, stores for sale, and some stores closing. This leads me to think that the area is not getting as much business as it once did. There was a police station (figure f) and a surprising amount of legal offices (figure g). I thought the police presence was comforting but did not really know what to think of all the law offices.
Figure e
Figure f
Figure g
On our visit we also got to visit the new and improved public library. The library was very open, bright, and inviting. It had plenty of space for people to look as books, do work on the computer, and browse around. There was an entire "kid zone" that was geared towards children (figure h). The space was colorful and filled with books and small tables for kids to sit at. Then outside of the library there are seats and tables where people can read or do work, but there is also a game area (figure i). They had hula hoops and giant musical instruments that we could play on (figure j). It was a lot of fun and interactive, plus is was an imaginative activity then encourages young and old people to play outdoors.
Figure h
Figure i
Figure j
There were options for public restrooms. They have water fountains located sparingly around Downtown, and in my opinion there could be more water fountains (figure k). I saw some people walking around but I figure that since it was on a Tuesday during business hours that contributed to the lack of people walking around. I can assume from the conversations I had with my classmates that on the weekends Downtown Fort Myers is very lively with active bars. It seems like a safe area with cameras and it appears to be an area that cares about the environment with solar panels connected to street lamps (figure l).
Figure k
Figure l
The final two spots that we stopped to observe on out trip to Downtown Fort Myers are the Water Basin and the Old Historic Courthouse. The Water Basin serves to filter water that runs-off from the local roads and businesses before it enters the Caloosahatchee River (figures m). It does so by the plants that are present in the bottom of the basin. As the water runs through the plants it is cleaned before it enters the pure river water (figure n). The courthouse was beautiful, large, and white with big elegant steps leading up to the doorway. It had the most magnificent tree growing in front of it (figure o). This tree was enormous and to me it represented the amount of time the courthouse had been there. There are also a couple of plaques and statues outside of the courthouse (figure p). This adds flavor and makes it more memorable for tourists.
Figure m
Figure n
Figure o
Figure p
The roads were fairly designed but I did not see enough speed limit signs. The area is well suited for the locals who live and work there, with wide sidewalks, street art (figures q, r,and s), and police safety. The area seems clean and well kept by the city. I did not see much for public transportation but my group and I only walked a short distance. There was much more to see. The buildings were two stories and either had apartments above the shops or offices and storage. This is a good use of a limited space area. The place was appealing and seemed to have a lot to offer but could still use some work. There should be more shade to appease customers and bring them out and into the shops. This would help keep small business owners doing well.
Figure q
Figure r
Figure s
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