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To the editor:
I am writing to share the excitement over a beautiful new addition to Sirenia Vista Park in southwest Cape Coral near the gateway to Matlacha. Sirenia Vista -- meaning "manatee viewing" -- has become a treasured natural space. This week, Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife and the city of Cape Coral unveiled an adorable new manatee sculpture dedicated to the residents and visitors of our city.
CCFW thanks City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn, Parks & Recreation Director Joe Petrella, and Parks Supervisor Lucille Vaillancourt-Kreider for helping make this gift possible. We also extend gratitude to the 2018 Manateum Gala Committee -- Gigi Yarusso, Barbara Jamison, Eric Nikolai, and Maija Gadient -- whose efforts raised over $15,000 and helped shape the park.
Maija Gadient, a longtime resident, deserves special recognition. In the early 2000s she advocated for converting what was then a neglected parcel into a park after witnessing manatees regularly in the canal. With support from city officials, including then-parks director Steve Pohlman, the city purchased the land and created Sirenia Vista. The name was her idea, perfectly reflecting the area's wildlife.
Today, the park features walkways, viewing platforms, fishing piers, a kayak launch, a butterfly garden lovingly maintained by CCFW volunteers, and a thriving purple martin colony that CCFW also monitors during nesting season. Ospreys and manatees are frequently seen, and even an occasional spoonbill, and future plans include extending the walkway to an additional viewing platform.
Maija's dedication was honored in 2018 by the Save the Manatee Club (founded by Jimmy Buffett and former governor Bob Graham) which named a known manatee (CR855) after her, and she joined then-mayor Joe Coviello that year for the park's official ribbon cutting.
It is fitting that this new manatee sculpture now stands as a tribute to Maija Gadient and her vision.
CCFW invites the community to visit Sirenia Vista Park, take a selfie with the new sculpture, and enjoy all the beauty that the park has to offer.
Sirenia Vista Park is a testament to what community passion and strong city partnerships can accomplish. We hope everyone will come enjoy this special Cape Coral treasure.
Janet Windisch
Corresponding secretary
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife