July 11, 2022 • 15 mins
Today we talk to Trish Leonard about the wonderful things happening in Downtown Bonita Springs. You can follow the Bonita Springs Downtown Alliance on facebook and see for yourself what the people are doing to make this area a great shopping and playing area for the locals and our yearly tourists.
You can reach out to Trish at 239-398-9999
BonitaSpringsdowntownalliance.com
To learn more:
https://barefootbungalowrealty.com/
Barefoot Bungalow Homes
9200 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Suite 100
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 350-5535
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the live your best life barefoot podcast
(00:02):
with your host Mary Morrison andthe team at barefoot bungalow
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Realty.
Good morning.
Um, welcome to the next episodeof live your best life barefoot.
I'm Ruth and I'm here with Mary
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Today.
Good morning, Ruth.
Good to be here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning.
It is it's great Monday.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yes, we're excited.
We have a closing today.
Woo woo.
We crossing the finish line soexcited.
Thank you.
And we are excited to have ourguest on today.
Do you wanna introduce her?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yes, we are here today with Trish Leonard.
She's from the downtown Alliancecommittee.
We are excited to have youTrish, how are you?
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Oh, great, good morning.
It's a happy, happy Monday toeveryone out there.
Happy Monday, Monday.
Um, so I'm Trish Leonard.
I, um, a little bit about me.
I'm my, uh, I own a company inBonita Springs.
Um, but I'm actually a volunteerpresident of the Bonita Springs
downtown Alliance and it's, um,I've been a member or like,
(01:00):
excuse me, I've been a presidentfor the past three years.
It just Revo me in, I guess I'mdoing a great job as a
volunteer.
Great.
Or either that or nobody elsewants to do it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
No, you're doing a great job.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Thank you.
We, um, we it's made up of agroup of all the downtown
businesses and, um, we're reallyexcited.
We have about, uh, 60 members.
Um, and when I took over aspresident, we had about 22 and
our goal is to increase themembership to help the downtown
corridor, which is, um, beingbuilt like crazy right now.
(01:40):
And, um, really, um, jazz it up.
Um, you know, years ago, peopleused to make fun of the downtown
Bonita Springs area or did notwant to come down to our area.
Um, I happened to live downtownand, uh, so our goal, um, and
vision for our board ofdirectors is to really, um, to
(02:00):
work closely with the city ofBonita Springs and to clean up
the downtown area, to beautifyit and to encourage more
business owners to come to thedowntown Alliance meetings and
be part of that.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yes.
And I've been part of that forabout six months now.
Super impressed.
Will you, uh, tell our listenerswhere downtown Bonita
specifically is for those whomay not know?
Sure.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
yeah, there
there's four corridors down
there and once you, you headsouth on oh, 41, let's say
coming from Bonita beach road,mm-hmm, um, there's
these arches that we're going tohave painted, and it will say
welcome to downtown BonitaSprings, but the, the downtown
area starts there and it endsright near Rosemary park.
(02:52):
And when it, when that's thewhole corridor after that is
another central area is a secondcorridor, but we're, uh, our
group of volunteers by the way,are or paid members, which is
very inexpensive to join$50 ayear, um, are concerned about
when, when you first, the firstimpression when you come in off
(03:14):
of, oh, you know, onto oh 41.
And, uh, so our, our goal is tomake that a beautification area
and we're getting there.
We have new, a new brewery thatjust opened up.
We have the Bahamian, we havethe whole corner right there.
And then as you go up, we havenew apartments.
(03:34):
We have the Shangrila, whichjust opened up all their, their
rooms.
Uh, I know 10 rooms at theShangla with a beautiful spa.
So you know, that and, and, anda restaurant harvest and wisdom.
And then if you go on downfurther, you'll have a, um, the,
the flower shop, which now has aboutique to it.
So you can actually go in there,not just buy flowers, but she
(03:56):
has one section, um, uh, heaven,set flowers and boutique where
you could buy boutique items.
Oh.
So, and as you go through that,we just broke ground on our
truck, our food truck park.
I saw that, and that's gonna becalled rooftop at Riverside.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I wanna stop on that.
Cause that is cool.
It's like nothing I've everheard of before.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit more about that?
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Sure.
It's gonna be eight pads.
Um, the, from what I understandthe, um, owners of that park
have to stay stationary, so it'snot like you could pick up and
leave and go somewhere.
They may rotate re rotate outquarterly.
But with that, they're alsobuilding a two story bar.
Um, and so they'll be able to,it's gonna look like the old
(04:40):
Florida look.
Um, so between the eight pads ofdifferent everyone, there will
be no competition.
So there'll be one, maybeMexican restaurant.
One, one might be a, you know,hot dog stand or whatever.
Um, and they're also gonna put achildren's playground in there.
Nice.
And it's really gonna achildren's playground with some
water in it.
It's gonna be a, a, a fair child, friendly place.
(05:02):
Love it.
Um, and that's very exciting andthat's broke ground already.
So we hope to have that open bythe end of this year.
That's not exciting the firstquarter of next year.
Yeah.
That's gonna be excited.
Then we have, of course, theImperial crossings, which is
going, uh, barren Collier has,um, bought the two sides of the
Imperial river and they'll beshops.
(05:24):
And, um, there's going to beretail and some apartments over
it.
And it's kind of, um, modern,but with a mix of old town.
Nice.
And, uh, there'll be, um, youknow, you said the restaurants
on the river, walkways, thepublic can use there's public
access.
So you can still go up the riverwith your kayaks and canoes, but
(05:47):
folks that live there, there's apool.
There's some amenities that, youknow, you would get at an
apartment complex as well, butthen we'll be small retail
shops.
They're not going to be shopsthat you would go down to maybe
Naples and, you know, shop thebigger stores.
We're really trying to keep themvery local in that area.
Tiki.
So that's that, that should bemaybe in a couple years for
(06:10):
that.
And then across, across thestreet, as the wonder gardens,
and we have a new executivedirector, but if you were the
gardens years and years ago,nobody even wanted to go to the
gardens cuz it was just old anddecreed, but now it is so
beautiful behind the gate.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
That's so pretty.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Yeah.
And they just finished painting,repainting the big billboards.
So they're nice and shiny andclean.
Uh, and then you walk into thewonder shop and then out into
the garden.
So that's with a tea house and abutterfly garden and they're
putting in an Otter, um, anOtter exhibit.
So there's a lot going on thereas well.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah.
That's been fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Yeah.
Oh, I guess all of it's fun towatch.
Um, we have the kayak place,that's there on the river seat
kayak as well.
Mm-hmm artistcottages, which nobody knows
they're there, but on the Lyleshotel side are the artist
cottages behind there.
And there's some really niceartists there that have some,
Speaker 3 (07:05):
They really are.
It's really cool.
And it's fun to get to know.
We haven't been there.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I, I have, I they've been down there, but I did.
Those cottages are never openwhen I go down there.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah.
So we're working with them onthat.
Um, this, they have a, it's acity owned property, but um,
we've asked them to stay open,like during events and on
Saturdays and things like that.
I know we're working on aholiday, Christmas international
at the
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Market.
Yeah.
That'd be fun Christmas
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Market in there.
So that'd be fun.
But you know, you just, there'sjust a lot of little places off
of oh, 41 and um, char TRUS I'dbe the miss or not to say
Charros is there.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
TRUS is fabulous and I don't drink, but I've met
people there and they dofabulous mocktails.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yes they
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Do.
Oh, yummy.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
If you could have'em without alcohol yeah.
But it's a speakeasy, uh, place.
It's beautiful.
Yeah.
And then we have the survey caferight behind it, which used to
be the, uh, mayor'sgrandmother's house.
Wow.
And so a French person owns, uh,Sophie owns that and she's done
a wonderful job at Cervi cafe.
(08:17):
So, you know, you find theselittle fines and it's just so
unique.
I mean, we are a unique area.
So I think what we're trying todo is keep it unique, but still
have to modernize it somehow.
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Right.
Well, and I've been in Bonitafor four years now and I, this
is a Testament to you and whatyou've accomplished because I
have watched, we live not veryfar from it and I've watched it
transform it's.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah.
Thank
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You.
The difference between then andnow, like it's a totally
different place.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Well, I, I think the business owners have now taken
ownership of it before.
They probably felt like therewasn't a lot of people that
really cared.
Right.
You know, and I think the cityhas opened up and started waking
up and saying, Hey, we, we have110,000 visitors to the wonder
gardens each year.
They have to go somewhere afterthey visit was ice cream or
lunch or gas or visit the parkor whatever.
(09:14):
So I do have give them a lot ofcredit for, you know, listening
to what the, the, um, businessowners want.
And they, you know, we meetmonthly, um, the fourth, Tuesday
of every month at the Shangrilafive 31st social hour, six
o'clock we always have a programand it could be somebody from
the city, somebody from thecounty, it could be somebody
learning about something in theenvironment or what's going on
(09:37):
downtown would bring in a lot ofthe builders, that'll show us
their product so that everyoneunderstands what's going on.
And I think that that's the mostimportant thing is just really
educating the, um, the businessowners of, of what's happening.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
That's nice.
So anybody can join thosemeetings right.
Without having to,
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Yeah.
Technically we we'd like to havethe downtown Alliance, business
owners and residents.
Okay.
Or if they have interest in thedowntown area, it is, we have a
website it's, uh, BonitaSprings, downtown alliance.com.
And um, so you can go, you know,check out the Alliance, uh,
website, um, and, and then just,you know, it's a work in
(10:18):
progress.
I mean, in two years, we'veaccomplished a whole lot.
So, you know, and it's aminimal, like I said, a minimal
fee to join, but it, it covers alittle bit of some things that
we need.
We definitely do need marketing.
The good thing.
I'm a marketing direct, you know,
Speaker 3 (10:35):
that comes in
handy.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
I'm big in the branding.
So we've finally got a pull upbanner in their name tags.
That's a start.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
They can go.
That's awesome though, because Ilive not very far from there as
well.
So I've seen a lot of the changeand you know, a lot of the
events that happen at the parknow, you know, more people are
coming out there.
So it's picking up a lot,
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Even every Sunday, the church, the church service
that there is well attended.
And
Speaker 4 (11:01):
The concert band Beita Springs concert band
brings about 2000 people at thefireworks.
We had 8,000 people on the parkfor the fireworks.
It was amazing.
That's amazing.
Beautiful.
Yeah, it really was.
So we're getting there.
We wanna be known as a place to,you know, come to visit, be,
make it a destination downtown.
(11:23):
You know, we, one of the otherthings we're working on the city
is having a welcome center withthe Lyles.
Hotelers, we're hoping that wewe'll we'll have a place because
there is no welcome centeranymore in Bonita.
And then the other thing we'reworking on is, um, a walkable
downtown.
So the big trucks that gothrough there, just because they
can cut off at oh 41, the bigdump trucks and the big truck
(11:45):
have no reason to be on thatroad.
Um, we're working with them to,to have it more of a walkable
downtown, and those big truckscan use 41 Imperial Parkway, you
know, all those other big interplaces and not come through our
downtown.
Right.
Because like, if you ever wentto downtown whining coffee, we
love it.
But when you sit there and thetrucks go over, it's like so
(12:08):
loud
Speaker 3 (12:08):
You to wait.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So we're working with the cityon that as well.
And there'll be new, new cityleadership this year.
So we have to educate them aboutthe Alliance, whoever takes on
the, the, uh, three newpositions that are gonna be open
in November.
So that will be interesting.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
It is such a huge asset.
And even I, I would encourageeveryone now to, you know, we
would meet up with colleagues.
It's a great area to consider,um, the coffee shop there.
Mm-hmm um, welleven the Everglades, cuz you go
and meet people, your clients atthe Everglades.
Yeah.
I have a, a, a season pass.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Yep.
So I'll I, and I can get a guestin, so I, I meet people there
and sit in the gardens.
Yeah.
So that's a, yeah,
Speaker 4 (12:58):
There's a lot gonna go on downtown there.
I mean, we're not finished yet.
We're just getting started.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I love that.
I love,
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Well, thank you so much for coming on Trish.
It's.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You're welcome.
Thank you so much for having meon this morning.
Yeah.
I love early morning meetings.
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
and, and
thank you for all your hard
work.
Yes.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate it.
It's so nice to have somebodythat is really taking control of
that and it
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Is a volunteer position.
So, you know, um, that's a lotvolunteers work just as hard as
the people are getting paid.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Passion project.
I love it.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I love Bonita Springs and that's why I'm doing, it's
my passion.
I love it.
I live here.
I work here and you know, it, ittakes people to help make it, to
make it better.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And um, where can people get a hold of you or
somebody, if they want moreinformation about downtown
Bonita, where's the best?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So our website is, um , Bonita Springs, downtown
alliance.com.
And then it reached me on mycell phone,(239) 398-9999.
Um, and then we have a Facebookpage, downtown Alliance, Bonita
downtown Alliance, its thinkingof that.
So we have a few things going onthere, but the websites where
(14:15):
you could register and become amember.
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
And I highly recommend the Facebook page book
page.
It's I love going on there andseeing all the things that are
going on downtown
Speaker 4 (14:26):
It's thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just keeping up with it.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Speaker 3 (14:30):
And uh, Trish, you do have a fabulous business.
So if anybody needs anymarketing, um, help, sure.
Reach out to Trish at that samenumber and she is wonderful.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah.
I'll be
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Happy to help you.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
With branding, marketing PR, um, we're, they're
there for a little bit ofeverything.
So I'd love to have you I'm in,Mary's complex
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Over Sunday for neighbors.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
yeah.
We're neighbors and um, but I'vebeen in business.
It'll be 13 years.
January.
Yeah.
So I'd love to have everybody onand I appreciate you inviting me
to come on today for theAlliance.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Absolutely.
Thanks.
Thanks Trish.
And you're welcome.
We wanna remind all of you guysout there to remember to live
your best life barefoot.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Thank you for listening to the live, your best
life barefoot podcast.
Sponsored buy barefoot bungalowRealty to learn more about
barefoot bungalow Realty, go towww.barefootbungalowrealty.com
or call 2 3 9 3 5 0 5 5 3 5.
Welcome to the live your best life barefoot podcast
(00:02):
with your host Mary Morrison andthe team at barefoot bungalow
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Realty.
Good morning.
Um, welcome to the next episodeof live your best life barefoot.
I'm Ruth and I'm here with Mary
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Today.
Good morning, Ruth.
Good to be here with you.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning.
It is it's great Monday.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yes, we're excited.
We have a closing today.
Woo woo.
We crossing the finish line soexcited.
Thank you.
And we are excited to have ourguest on today.
Do you wanna introduce her?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yes, we are here today with Trish Leonard.
She's from the downtown Alliancecommittee.
We are excited to have youTrish, how are you?
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Oh, great, good morning.
It's a happy, happy Monday toeveryone out there.
Happy Monday, Monday.
Um, so I'm Trish Leonard.
I, um, a little bit about me.
I'm my, uh, I own a company inBonita Springs.
Um, but I'm actually a volunteerpresident of the Bonita Springs
downtown Alliance and it's, um,I've been a member or like,
(01:00):
excuse me, I've been a presidentfor the past three years.
It just Revo me in, I guess I'mdoing a great job as a
volunteer.
Great.
Or either that or nobody elsewants to do it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
No, you're doing a great job.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Thank you.
We, um, we it's made up of agroup of all the downtown
businesses and, um, we're reallyexcited.
We have about, uh, 60 members.
Um, and when I took over aspresident, we had about 22 and
our goal is to increase themembership to help the downtown
corridor, which is, um, beingbuilt like crazy right now.
(01:40):
And, um, really, um, jazz it up.
Um, you know, years ago, peopleused to make fun of the downtown
Bonita Springs area or did notwant to come down to our area.
Um, I happened to live downtownand, uh, so our goal, um, and
vision for our board ofdirectors is to really, um, to
(02:00):
work closely with the city ofBonita Springs and to clean up
the downtown area, to beautifyit and to encourage more
business owners to come to thedowntown Alliance meetings and
be part of that.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yes.
And I've been part of that forabout six months now.
Super impressed.
Will you, uh, tell our listenerswhere downtown Bonita
specifically is for those whomay not know?
Sure.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
there and once you, you headsouth on oh, 41, let's say
coming from Bonita beach road,mm-hmm
these arches that we're going tohave painted, and it will say
welcome to downtown BonitaSprings, but the, the downtown
area starts there and it endsright near Rosemary park.
(02:52):
And when it, when that's thewhole corridor after that is
another central area is a secondcorridor, but we're, uh, our
group of volunteers by the way,are or paid members, which is
very inexpensive to join$50 ayear, um, are concerned about
when, when you first, the firstimpression when you come in off
(03:14):
of, oh, you know, onto oh 41.
And, uh, so our, our goal is tomake that a beautification area
and we're getting there.
We have new, a new brewery thatjust opened up.
We have the Bahamian, we havethe whole corner right there.
And then as you go up, we havenew apartments.
(03:34):
We have the Shangrila, whichjust opened up all their, their
rooms.
Uh, I know 10 rooms at theShangla with a beautiful spa.
So you know, that and, and, anda restaurant harvest and wisdom.
And then if you go on downfurther, you'll have a, um, the,
the flower shop, which now has aboutique to it.
So you can actually go in there,not just buy flowers, but she
(03:56):
has one section, um, uh, heaven,set flowers and boutique where
you could buy boutique items.
Oh.
So, and as you go through that,we just broke ground on our
truck, our food truck park.
I saw that, and that's gonna becalled rooftop at Riverside.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I wanna stop on that.
Cause that is cool.
It's like nothing I've everheard of before.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit more about that?
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Sure.
It's gonna be eight pads.
Um, the, from what I understandthe, um, owners of that park
have to stay stationary, so it'snot like you could pick up and
leave and go somewhere.
They may rotate re rotate outquarterly.
But with that, they're alsobuilding a two story bar.
Um, and so they'll be able to,it's gonna look like the old
(04:40):
Florida look.
Um, so between the eight pads ofdifferent everyone, there will
be no competition.
So there'll be one, maybeMexican restaurant.
One, one might be a, you know,hot dog stand or whatever.
Um, and they're also gonna put achildren's playground in there.
Nice.
And it's really gonna achildren's playground with some
water in it.
It's gonna be a, a, a fair child, friendly place.
(05:02):
Love it.
Um, and that's very exciting andthat's broke ground already.
So we hope to have that open bythe end of this year.
That's not exciting the firstquarter of next year.
Yeah.
That's gonna be excited.
Then we have, of course, theImperial crossings, which is
going, uh, barren Collier has,um, bought the two sides of the
Imperial river and they'll beshops.
(05:24):
And, um, there's going to beretail and some apartments over
it.
And it's kind of, um, modern,but with a mix of old town.
Nice.
And, uh, there'll be, um, youknow, you said the restaurants
on the river, walkways, thepublic can use there's public
access.
So you can still go up the riverwith your kayaks and canoes, but
(05:47):
folks that live there, there's apool.
There's some amenities that, youknow, you would get at an
apartment complex as well, butthen we'll be small retail
shops.
They're not going to be shopsthat you would go down to maybe
Naples and, you know, shop thebigger stores.
We're really trying to keep themvery local in that area.
Tiki.
So that's that, that should bemaybe in a couple years for
(06:10):
that.
And then across, across thestreet, as the wonder gardens,
and we have a new executivedirector, but if you were the
gardens years and years ago,nobody even wanted to go to the
gardens cuz it was just old anddecreed, but now it is so
beautiful behind the gate.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
That's so pretty.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Yeah.
And they just finished painting,repainting the big billboards.
So they're nice and shiny andclean.
Uh, and then you walk into thewonder shop and then out into
the garden.
So that's with a tea house and abutterfly garden and they're
putting in an Otter, um, anOtter exhibit.
So there's a lot going on thereas well.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah.
That's been fun to watch.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Yeah.
Oh, I guess all of it's fun towatch.
Um, we have the kayak place,that's there on the river seat
kayak as well.
Mm-hmm
they're there, but on the Lyleshotel side are the artist
cottages behind there.
And there's some really niceartists there that have some,
Speaker 3 (07:05):
They really are.
It's really cool.
And it's fun to get to know.
We haven't been there.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I, I have, I they've been down there, but I did.
Those cottages are never openwhen I go down there.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah.
So we're working with them onthat.
Um, this, they have a, it's acity owned property, but um,
we've asked them to stay open,like during events and on
Saturdays and things like that.
I know we're working on aholiday, Christmas international
at the
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Market.
Yeah.
That'd be fun Christmas
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Market in there.
So that'd be fun.
But you know, you just, there'sjust a lot of little places off
of oh, 41 and um, char TRUS I'dbe the miss or not to say
Charros is there.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
TRUS is fabulous and I don't drink, but I've met
people there and they dofabulous mocktails.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Yes they
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Do.
Oh, yummy.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
If you could have'em without alcohol
But it's a speakeasy, uh, place.
It's beautiful.
Yeah.
And then we have the survey caferight behind it, which used to
be the, uh, mayor'sgrandmother's house.
Wow.
And so a French person owns, uh,Sophie owns that and she's done
a wonderful job at Cervi cafe.
(08:17):
So, you know, you find theselittle fines and it's just so
unique.
I mean, we are a unique area.
So I think what we're trying todo is keep it unique, but still
have to modernize it somehow.
Right.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Right.
Well, and I've been in Bonitafor four years now and I, this
is a Testament to you and whatyou've accomplished because I
have watched, we live not veryfar from it and I've watched it
transform it's.
Yeah.
It's amazing.
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Yeah.
Thank
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You.
The difference between then andnow, like it's a totally
different place.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Well, I, I think the business owners have now taken
ownership of it before.
They probably felt like therewasn't a lot of people that
really cared.
Right.
You know, and I think the cityhas opened up and started waking
up and saying, Hey, we, we have110,000 visitors to the wonder
gardens each year.
They have to go somewhere afterthey visit was ice cream or
lunch or gas or visit the parkor whatever.
(09:14):
So I do have give them a lot ofcredit for, you know, listening
to what the, the, um, businessowners want.
And they, you know, we meetmonthly, um, the fourth, Tuesday
of every month at the Shangrilafive 31st social hour, six
o'clock we always have a programand it could be somebody from
the city, somebody from thecounty, it could be somebody
learning about something in theenvironment or what's going on
(09:37):
downtown would bring in a lot ofthe builders, that'll show us
their product so that everyoneunderstands what's going on.
And I think that that's the mostimportant thing is just really
educating the, um, the businessowners of, of what's happening.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
That's nice.
So anybody can join thosemeetings right.
Without having to,
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Yeah.
Technically we we'd like to havethe downtown Alliance, business
owners and residents.
Okay.
Or if they have interest in thedowntown area, it is, we have a
website it's, uh, BonitaSprings, downtown alliance.com.
And um, so you can go, you know,check out the Alliance, uh,
website, um, and, and then just,you know, it's a work in
(10:18):
progress.
I mean, in two years, we'veaccomplished a whole lot.
So, you know, and it's aminimal, like I said, a minimal
fee to join, but it, it covers alittle bit of some things that
we need.
We definitely do need marketing.
The good thing.
I'm a marketing direct, you know,
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Speaker 4 (10:36):
I'm big in the branding.
So we've finally got a pull upbanner in their name tags.
That's a start.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
They can go.
That's awesome though, because Ilive not very far from there as
well.
So I've seen a lot of the changeand you know, a lot of the
events that happen at the parknow, you know, more people are
coming out there.
So it's picking up a lot,
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Even every Sunday, the church, the church service
that there is well attended.
And
Speaker 4 (11:01):
The concert band Beita Springs concert band
brings about 2000 people at thefireworks.
We had 8,000 people on the parkfor the fireworks.
It was amazing.
That's amazing.
Beautiful.
Yeah, it really was.
So we're getting there.
We wanna be known as a place to,you know, come to visit, be,
make it a destination downtown.
(11:23):
You know, we, one of the otherthings we're working on the city
is having a welcome center withthe Lyles.
Hotelers, we're hoping that wewe'll we'll have a place because
there is no welcome centeranymore in Bonita.
And then the other thing we'reworking on is, um, a walkable
downtown.
So the big trucks that gothrough there, just because they
can cut off at oh 41, the bigdump trucks and the big truck
(11:45):
have no reason to be on thatroad.
Um, we're working with them to,to have it more of a walkable
downtown, and those big truckscan use 41 Imperial Parkway, you
know, all those other big interplaces and not come through our
downtown.
Right.
Because like, if you ever wentto downtown whining coffee, we
love it.
But when you sit there and thetrucks go over, it's like so
(12:08):
loud
Speaker 3 (12:08):
You to wait.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So we're working with the cityon that as well.
And there'll be new, new cityleadership this year.
So we have to educate them aboutthe Alliance, whoever takes on
the, the, uh, three newpositions that are gonna be open
in November.
So that will be interesting.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
It is such a huge asset.
And even I, I would encourageeveryone now to, you know, we
would meet up with colleagues.
It's a great area to consider,um, the coffee shop there.
Mm-hmm
and meet people, your clients atthe Everglades.
Yeah.
I have a, a, a season pass.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Yep.
So I'll I, and I can get a guestin, so I, I meet people there
and sit in the gardens.
Yeah.
So that's a, yeah,
Speaker 4 (12:58):
There's a lot gonna go on downtown there.
I mean, we're not finished yet.
We're just getting started.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I love that.
I love,
Speaker 4 (13:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Well, thank you so much for coming on Trish.
It's.
Speaker 4 (13:08):
You're welcome.
Thank you so much for having meon this morning.
Yeah.
I love early morning meetings.
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
work.
Yes.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate it.
It's so nice to have somebodythat is really taking control of
that and it
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Is a volunteer position.
So, you know, um, that's a lotvolunteers work just as hard as
the people are getting paid.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Passion project.
I love it.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I love Bonita Springs and that's why I'm doing, it's
my passion.
I love it.
I live here.
I work here and you know, it, ittakes people to help make it, to
make it better.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
And um, where can people get a hold of you or
somebody, if they want moreinformation about downtown
Bonita, where's the best?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So our website is, um , Bonita Springs, downtown
alliance.com.
And then it reached me on mycell phone,(239) 398-9999.
Um, and then we have a Facebookpage, downtown Alliance, Bonita
downtown Alliance, its thinkingof that.
So we have a few things going onthere, but the websites where
(14:15):
you could register and become amember.
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
And I highly recommend the Facebook page book
page.
It's I love going on there andseeing all the things that are
going on downtown
Speaker 4 (14:26):
It's thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just keeping up with it.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Speaker 3 (14:30):
And uh, Trish, you do have a fabulous business.
So if anybody needs anymarketing, um, help, sure.
Reach out to Trish at that samenumber and she is wonderful.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Yeah.
I'll be
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Happy to help you.
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
With branding, marketing PR, um, we're, they're
there for a little bit ofeverything.
So I'd love to have you I'm in,Mary's complex
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Over Sunday for neighbors.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
We're neighbors and um, but I'vebeen in business.
It'll be 13 years.
January.
Yeah.
So I'd love to have everybody onand I appreciate you inviting me
to come on today for theAlliance.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Absolutely.
Thanks.
Thanks Trish.
And you're welcome.
We wanna remind all of you guysout there to remember to live
your best life barefoot.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Thank you for listening to the live, your best
life barefoot podcast.
Sponsored buy barefoot bungalowRealty to learn more about
barefoot bungalow Realty, go towww.barefootbungalowrealty.com
or call 2 3 9 3 5 0 5 5 3 5.
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