Burrowing owl supporters make case at Sands location

Dozens of people met at the future location of Sands Park on Saturday, not to protest the possible pickleball courts that could go there, but how the proposed courts would impact the site’s burrowing owls.

Activists and residents alike gathered for the informational session/rally on the impact the new park will have on the official bird of Cape Coral.

“We’re here to save this park from being developed in a way that will affect wildlife. We have four active nests and some other ones we want to save, and they put a jogging path there that will collapse those burrows,” said activist Carl Veaux. “We’ve talked to the city council on this and will talk with them again.”

Randy Landers, president of the Southwest Cape Coral Action Committee, said the main idea is to bring awareness to the people, for them to step up and do the right thing to save the owls, a threatened species.

“There will be a burrow or two where the pickleball courts will be. We want the city to remediate and do the right thing,” Landers said. “We’d like them to build starter burrows in other areas of the park and to work the paths between the burrows.”