Last month, in this column, we at Lee Health invited our community to submit nominations for the renaming of Challenger Boulevard. This is the street where we are building our innovative, state-of-the-art Lee Health Fort Myers. This hospital campus will be a new destination for leading-edge, comprehensive care.
While Challenger Boulevard is an honorable name that embodies the innovative spirit and bravery of the Challenger Space Shuttle crew, the city’s future planning requires a portion of the street to be renamed. Plans to extend Challenger Boulevard northwest to meet Winkler Avenue a second time would create duplicate intersections of the same two streets, potentially causing confusion and delays, especially if there is a traffic incident. Renaming part of the street is necessary to ensure safety and clarity.
We see the need for renaming the street as an exciting opportunity to select a street name that reflects our mission and brand. After consulting the City of Fort Myers, we received more than 770 nominations from the public and community groups!