2011 proved to be a very busy year for the city of Cape Coral, but also for Greatest Cape! As a pre-eminent southwest Florida community, Cape Coral faced growing pains, budget shortfalls, planning and zoning issues, as well as elections for several seats on the city's council. While leadership within the ranks of the City Manager's office was called into question, the Economic Development Office also continued to struggle. As the local housing market continued to face the slump of new construction, low to medium priced existing home sales did see some growth. Given the up and down nature of the economy, local unemployment remained high.

Bearing witness to our community's growth, Greatest Cape spent 2011 undergoing changes, too. Facing 2012, Greatest Cape is poised to improve the quality and quantity of everything we offer to our site's members and visitors.

 

 

 

On almost any given morning, you can find the proprietors of Top Notch Coffee and Eatery serving up some of Cape Coral's finest coffee along with breakfasts and lunch, too. Those who have yet to stop in and sample their delicious fare are missing a special treat. Dennis and Pepper Hahn are the friendly proprietors of Top Notch and we are certain that they are committed to excellence.

February is the month of Valentine's Day. Most men know the importance of giving their significant other a gift in recognition of the date. Many argue that it is a Hallmark holiday and not worthy of observing. Giving a special gift that reflects the significance of your relationship is a generally accepted notion that shouldn't require a special day. However, ignore the date at the risk of your own peril.

At Greatest Cape, we like the idea of special gifts. So we thought it a good idea to offer one to our customers. If you've been looking for an affordable way to put your business on the web, we think you'll like it !

According to eMarketer, a firm that helps companies understand the Internet by publishing Internet market research, statistics and objective analysis, nearly six out of 10 Americans who use social media interact with companies on social media Websites, according to a September 2008 study conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for Cone.

In keeping with our continuous effort to keep our members up-to-date, we're pleased to present a pretty cool video ! Due to the present recession, many Americans won't be able to take much, if any, of a vacation this summer. And for once there's something ( other than reruns ) worth watching.

We're celebrating this week ! It's our birthday and we're a year older. We're actually a bit older than our June 8th launch date suggests, but we've decided our launch date is the official day we came into public existence. During the course of these past 12 months, so much has happened that we wanted to stop and reflect on some of our growth and accomplishments.

Most of the snowbirds have all flown (or driven) home. Southwest Florida's seasonal visitors are dwindling in number as we approach the summer months here. Many of us have mixed feelings about this. One one hand, it's a welcome relief to the consistent traffic snarls and protracted waiting periods for dining. On the other hand, a big part of southwest Florida's business has left residents to focus on just how the recession has impacted our local economy.

Just because our tourist season has ended doesn't mean that nothing is happening. In fact, some might argue that this is the best time of the year !

Many new visitors to Greatest Cape have asked me this question. At first, I was a little confused by it, but after some thought...it started to make real sense. One of the luxuries I do not have is the gift of "first sight". I suppose that to put that expression in terms that are easier to understand, I am very familiar with how this site works and exactly where everything lives. The plain fact is that we've got an awful lot of information and links and most first time visitors are left saying; "where do I begin"?

Maybe I am the last one to realize this fact, so, please excuse me. But, since I'm aware now, I think I can give you some ideas to, hopefully, make clear your options.

As a boy growing up in Florida, my parents used to tell me that there were three basic kinds of people. They said there were those who made things happen, as well as those who watched things happen and finally there were the people who wondered what happened. After being told this, they would ask me what kind of person I was. I decided very early in my childhood that I wanted to make things happen, and have always tried to do just that.

If you ever thought about these three groups, then, likely, you would have to see yourself as most fitting one category versus another. But have you ever thought about which kind of person you really want to be ?

After only ten months of continual publishing and community involvement, Greatest Cape has decided to close. "We've had pretty good run..." said Administrator Wray Burgess, "...but this is just too big for one person to do alone"

With nearly 500 members and more than 120,000 visits to the site, we have certainly made an impression on the community.