Florida’s ideal outdoor recreation system will be a diverse, connected, accessible and balanced system of resources, facilities and programs that provides the state’s residents and visitors with a wide range of local recreation opportunities. Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan |
The Board’s commendable decision to do this study plays into a stunning new opportunity for residents and visitors. We must seize it now, because East County is about to change dramatically.
In a few years, a highway flyover will connect UTC/Benderson west of I-75 with roads and trails to the East and South.
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| Planned Benderson/Waterside Flyover |
From Benderson, Lakewood Ranch Boulevard will run east through SMR's Waterside, continuing south through the Quad parcels to the Celery Fields. This will form a "triptych" of three key areas, all linked without need of the highway.
Safe circulation through this large interconnected area will open new possibilities for bicyclists, pedestrians and runners. Marathons, triathlons, and cycling events can begin at Nathan Benderson Park, “fly over” the highway, and circulate on public trails through Waterside to Mt. Celery. Such iconic visibility will bring new visitors to the entire area.At UTC/Benderson visitors will enjoy restaurants, shopping, the rowing park and eventually Mote Aquarium; in Waterside they’ll explore trails before reaching the tranquil environment of the Celery Fields for hiking, birding, kayaking and picnicking (as well as the lions, tigers of Big Cat Habitat) in one of the most beautiful spots in Sarasota.
Everyone going to Audubon or Big Cat at the Celery Fields has to pass through the Quads parcels on the way. These lands sit at a key intersection, where they can strategically serve to:
- Buffer the Celery Fields with gardens and an urban forest on Parcel #1;
- Provide parking, food, a bus loop and visitors center on parcels #2 and #3 to meet future needs; and,
- Optimize the experience for residents, businesses, schools, and visitors. Tree canopied sidewalks and trails will integrate stranded assets like the Celery Fields' north waterway and Ackerman Park with Audubon's birdwalks and Big Cat Habitat.
A modest investment of tourist tax dollars will optimize the Quads and the Celery Fields area to safely handle future visitors. So much is here to offer. Let’s create a superb inland environment -- an ecological and recreational Triptych we can all be proud of.
Note: The above is a summary. Read the full proposition at this link: "Diverse, connected, accessible and balanced:" a Community Proposition for the Quad Parcels
- Submitted to the Critical Area Plan Workshop May 14, 2019
-- Tom Matrullo
I love the bigger vision you've shown here Tom. You're so right that it isn't just the Quads that are on notice, and how pivotal they are to the bigger picture of either having an industrialized perspective motivated for the benefit of the few or ... a community perspective motivated by benefits to the many.
ReplyDeleteThe proposal of Community Land Trust of Sarasota for our proposal of Celery Fields Community Estate, definitely has benefits to the many in mind and is designed for that goal. The design for 3 of the parcels actually directly address the potential uses you mention here.
I understand your concerns for the need of the school bus center etc on parcel#3, but if that is a transfer type station for school and public transport etc, apart from the adverse visual of buses etc, it may put another load on the traffic issues at Palmer and Apex. What if that could be created, along with the Visitors center on the Sarasota Business Plaza sites just up the road north on the bend of Coburn Rd. This site might best feed then the Fruitville Initiative and spread traffic north and south, thus reducing some of the extra load on Palmer Blvd.
Of course, this leaves parcel # 3 to be used for the Community Estates temporary accommodation as a forested Eco-Village. This site is intended to be used for visitors to stay who are looking for that environmental experience within the activities of our proposed Celery Fields Community Estate's workshops, conventions, seminars, community gathering events etc and of course ... direct walking access to our amazing Celery Fields. It is meant as an adjunct to the Celery Fields.
My "bigger vision" of the quads and Celery Fields and the whole strip of properties east of Mt Celery between Palmer and Fruitville that include Big Cat Habitat ... is that it ALL becomes ultimately ... Sarasota Central Park.
If its good enough for New York right? With all the massive residential development coming ... Sarasota will need this to happen. Our Celery Fields Community Estate design could be just one of other perfect components of THAT bigger picture ... for the benefit of the whole community. All your other suggestions of what can come from the Fruitville Initiative of River walk etc., could tie into that one BIG picture as well.
Maybe that's the vision we could ALL inspire the Commission to see.