County celebrates park’s completion — at last

Bay Island park, soon to be renamed Nora Patterson Bay Island Park, was still getting some last-minute work as of Monday in anticipation of an upcoming dedication ceremony that will honor the former city and county commissioner. The county is also celebrating the completion of a beleaguered renovation.

The project included replacing the seawall and improving the overall look of the park, according to Erin “Tommy” Vaughan-Birch, secretary of the Bay Island Siesta Association. As a result, much of the 1,100 feet of seawall has been repaired or replaced. Though the use of the park hasn’t changed, Vaughan-Birch and many of her neighbors are happy with the improvements.

“The place seems busy and people seem happy,” said nearby resident Bob Stern. 

Seawall repairs accounted for the majority of the $1.14 million spent on the renovation, according to Sarasota County spokesman Drew Winchester. The rest was used for landscaping, pavement grading, fishing areas and new benches.

The park has been closed since March 2013. Originally scheduled to be completed September 2013, the park’s renovation was delayed after the original contractor abandoned the project. When the project was rebid, the city declined to continue its role. It had originally co-bid the project because the county and city share the park. The city owns the side north of siesta drive and the county owns the southern side.

The county proceeded without the city’s involvement, making only minor repairs to the seawall on the city’s property.