Fort Myers’ Clemente Park Reopens With Southwest Florida’s Tallest Slide and New Amphitheater

Fort Myers' Roberto Clemente Park has officially reopened for the first time since 2011, welcoming residents back with new amenities, including an amphitheater and a modern playground featuring the tallest slide in Southwest Florida. The park, located at 3265 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, returned with a grand opening celebration on Dec. 5.

This year's new addition to the park is an incredible 21-foot high slide. It is an enclosed piece of equipment with a winding, narrow design and multiple levels leading to the top. Safety is emphasized in the design of this exciting piece of play equipment by providing an attractive visual effect while promoting a healthy type of play, unlike anything else in the park.

The $2.375 million project was funded through a combination of $1.375 million from the City of Fort Myers' capital improvement fund and a $1 million state grant. Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka provided support for state funding. The investment reflects a broader effort to restore and modernize neighborhood parks throughout the city.

“To see this in our community for our children and the children of Lee County is really a blessing,” said Black History Society Treasurer Harriet Myers. “It will bring more people out, which will bring recognition to the Black History Museum.”

The park's reopening is also expected to encourage outdoor activity and community gathering. “We love being outside,” she said. “I try to get the kids outside every day.”
The revitalization honors the park's namesake, Roberto Clemente, the Hall of Fame baseball star and humanitarian who died on Dec. 31, 1972, while delivering aid to earthquake survivors in Nicaragua.

“My message was, I want to provide a playground for all the Charlies in our community and make sure they all have access to something special,” she said in a statement before participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Roberto Clemente Park is part of Fort Myers' larger parks network, which also includes Centennial Park, Trailhead Neighborhood Park, Rutenberg Park, and Schandler Hall Community Park.