Explore a revitalized Durante Park with new, more durable boardwalk

If you haven’t visited Joan M. Durante Park in a while, now’s a good time to change that and check out the latest upgrades. 

The 32-acre park recently received some upgrades with a complete replacement of the park’s boardwalks. The boardwalks were replaced with composite material, which is more durable and lasts longer than wood. 

Streets, Facilities, Parks & Recreation Manager Mark Richardson said the project wrapped up in March.

Originally, the boardwalk replacement was budgeted for $200,000. The project was completed by MKM Quality Construction and came under budget, with a final cost of around $150,000. 

The boardwalk is now made of MoistureShield Composite Decking, which Richardson said comes with a 50-year limited warranty. For example, he said that if the deck needs to be replaced in 26 years, the warranty would cover half the cost. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Though the foundation of the boardwalk is still wood, the composite material is waterproof and more durable than a wood surface. 

“You’re not going to have splintering and broken pieces of wood,” Richardson said.

On top of that, the new material adds a nicer look to the park. 

“Aesthetically, it looks a lot better,” said Richardson. 

The replacement project also required the boardwalk to be elevated in some areas since flooding often occurs in the park. The increased elevation should help prevent the boardwalk from being submerged during floods, Richardson said. 

Composite material is something that the Public Works Department has begun using more often, according to Richardson, like past improvements at Bayfront Park. 

“Anything we do not will be composite,” Richardson said.

In 2022, the department needed to complete some spot replacements of the boardwalk with composite materials after a high tide damaged a portion of the boardwalk. the boardwalk was found floating among the mangroves, according to previous reporting. 

The boardwalk was taped off for a year and a half while it was repaired. 

This latest project replaced the entire boardwalk in the park so that everything matched those previous repairs. 

Richardson also said that the park’s pavilion and bathroom could be future improvement projects, but those are both still in early talks. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Durante Park offers some shaded areas along the walking paths, which may make it a more appealing attraction than the beach on the upcoming sweltering summer days.  

Around the 32-acre park, there’s plenty to explore from mangrove forests to a plethora of birding opportunities and a view of Sarasota Bay from one of the park’s observation decks — now made from new, durable composite material.