Leeland Lake gets closer to purchase

By Staff | Jun 13, 2012

MEL TOADVINE Ruth Ann Anglickis, a member of One Voice Lehigh, asks a county group to recommend the purchase of Lake Leeland in Lehigh Acres by the 20/20 conservation group.

Considered to be one of Lehigh Acres’ most important natural assets, the Leeland Lake off of Joel Blvd., next to the Lehigh Resort Club, jumped over its first hurdle to be conserved for posterity last week when the Conservation Lanes Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee, otherwise known as CLASAC, gave its unanimous approval to recommend to the Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 Program to purchase the 20-acre piece of property containing the lake.

Several people from Lehigh from different organizations filled the meeting room at the Community Development Public Works Center at 1500 Monroe St. in Fort Myers on June 5, many wearing Leeland Lake T-shirts. Almost all were wearing Lehigh Spring (the formal name for the deep lake/sink hole) T-shirts. The meeting was at 3 p.m. and members of the CLASAC gave Lehigh residents the top of the agenda for consideration of Nomination 471-2 as it is titled for consideration to the 20/20 conservation group.

First to speak was Ruth Ann Anglickis, one of the many participants who call themselves One Voice Lehigh.

“I remember the gem that Lehigh Lake was back in 1943, a half century ago when we in the community enjoyed recreation in and around the lake,” Anglickis said. Back in the those years, the natural sink hole was referred to as Still Lake and it has had several names over the years.

Rumors about the body of water were that it was a bottomless lake and Anglickis said that the depth in the 40 was estimated to be 208 feet deep. It’s located in a 20-acres tract known in Lehigh as Oak Hammock Park.

MEL TOADVINE Some of the almost two dozen people from Lehigh who went to Fort Myers last week to urge a committee to recommend to the 20/20 Commission the purchase of Lehigh Lake.

“The artifacts in Leeland Lake may date back to 100,000 to 14,000 BC, back when the area was covered by the ocean,” Anglickis said.

“Lehigh is a community today of more than 85,000 people and there is a combined effort asking the county to save this lake for its historical value and potential tourist attraction,” she said.

She told the group that several years ago, a boy in Lehigh with scuba gear dove down into the lake and came up with an old wooden bowl, probably dating back to the Calusa Indians, but when it was out of the water for several hours, it caved in, crumbling to just a mass,” she said.

“Lehigh is often called ‘way out here’ but we are a growing community and we have a gem in our town and archaeologists have told us that it is of significant value,” she said.

“There may be dinosaur artifacts down there and weed need to preserve it,” she said.

MEL TOADVINE Leeland Lake supporters leave the Community Development Public Works Center.

She called it a great asset not only for Lehigh, but for Lee County and noted the area of Lehigh is as large as the area of Tampa.

“We are asking you to help us preserve it,” she said.

Edd Weiner, who operates the Lehigh Acres Economic Board, was next to speak to the group and noted that the University of Florida has found artifacts on their own.

“The Leland Lake is an economic engine and will put the county and Lehigh forward. In the future; there could be a museum there for the public to come and see and understand the importance of the lake,” Weiner said.

“With the acquisition of the lake by the county, we can see it as a boom to Lehigh Acres, hopefully that we can get funding for its purchase,” Weiner said.

Jere Carrick, a member of the Chamber and owner of a golf course club, called Leland Lake “a diamond in the rough.”

Damon Shelor, a member of several organizations that are now part of One Voice Lehigh, explained the water networks of Lehigh, noting that before it was developed, it was wetlands. Then, he said, the East county Water Control District, was formed by the state to control stormwater with canals and other means. He said the ECWCD supports the purchase by the 20/20 Commission.

He noted the work in Lehigh that it has taken to come up with a community plan.

“That lake is a significant green area we want to retain it. It is a small parcel with a great impact for the future.”

David Deetscreek, a member of the ECWCD, said he had been in Lehigh for 45 years.

“Many didn’t know what we had here but now all of Lehigh Acres knows and talks about it on the streets. It is a big thing in Lehigh and the community wants to see it saved for future archaeological study and recreation,” he said.

Dr. Annette Snapp, director of the Florida Public Archaeology and the Dept. of Marine & Ecological Sciences in Fort Myers, told the group that studying Leeland Lake as an archaeologist is a rare opportunity,

“It has great archaeological potential. It is a fresh water sink hole and it helps to preserve materials from way back thousands of years.

“Not only is it an archaeologist gem but in Lee County it can draw people not only to the beaches but to Lehigh.

Others spoke in favor of recommending the purchase to the 20/20 Commission. One of them was Lee County Commissioners Ray Judah, who said he supported the people who want to preserve the lake.

“It can also be a place where we have future employment,” he said.

“The people of Lehigh have worked diligently with their Lehigh Plan to make Lehigh a place for employment,” he said.

“It can become a place where scientists can do research. It is a looking glass into our past,” he said.

Tonda Soisson, another member of Lehigh One Voice, said by saving this lake it supports the betterment of Lehigh.

“We will work to help find the grants to purchase it. If you have not been to Lehigh to see this, I invited you to visit,” she said.

The 90-minute session ended with few questions from the recommendation group. Chairman Cullum Hasty called for a vote and the group unanimously approved the Lehigh requests.

Later, Ruth Ann Anglickis, reminded the group that came to support the recommendation to should show up in numbers on June 14 at the same place for a meeting at 5 p.m. by the 20/20 conservation group, which makes the final decision.

“Wear your Lehigh Spring shirts. Get others to come; we have more Lehigh Spring shirts for them to wear. We need to show a great presence from Lehigh,” she said.

The 20-acre site is owned by Ken O’Leary of Bonita. He was at the meeting but did not speak. In earlier reports he has asked for $2,950,000 or $147,500 per acre. If the 20/20 conservation group agrees to add it to a group of property that the county should purchase, there is no doubt that negotiations with the owner would take place.

: MEL TOADVINE Some of the almost two dozen people from Lehigh who went to Fort Myers last week to urge a committee to recommend to the 20/20 Commission the purchase of Lehigh Lake.

: MEL TOADVINE Leeland Lake supporters leave the Community Development Public Works Center.