Behind the name of Joan M. Durante Park

Joan M. Durante was known for her passion of nature. Her Sanctuary Condominium balcony was always full of herbs and flowers. 

She was heavily involved in the landscape committee at the condominium grounds, advocating to keep all the native vegetation in its pristine state.

Joan's love of keeping Longboat Key plant life "preserved" is the reason why her legacy lives on with name of the Joan Durante Park.

The park, located on 5550 Gulf of Mexico Drive, is a haven where people go to bird watch, take walks, ride bikes and absorb the nature of Longboat.

Joan moved to Longboat Key with her husband James “Jim” Durante, a lawyer from New York who loved to give his two cents on Longboat. He wrote guest legal columns in local publications and was known to voice his opinions at meetings around the island. 

Longboat Key Historical Society President Michael Drake knew the Durantes when he managed the Sanctuary Condominiums in the 1980s. The couple was among the original owners of the condominiums. 

Drake got to know the Durantes because Jim always left the door open when he smoked cigars. His neighbors often called Drake to complain about Jim’s smoking. 

“He was very reserved,” said Drake. “He stuck to himself and was just a really nice guy. What really stood out to me about Jim was how much he adored his wife."

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Joan fell ill and passed away in the early 1990s. Wanting to honor his late wife, Jim approached the town with $750,000 to develop a park in her name in 1994. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also funded a grant that year to create a wetland and coastal hammock forest on the island. 

Since 5550 Gulf of Mexico Drive was just cleared of cabins and the invasive vegetation of Australian Pine and Brazilian Peppers, the 32-acre plot of land was the perfect place to make Joan’s dream come true. 

Jim passed away in 2007, but the park lives on boasting native birds, trails and views of Sarasota Bay. Just as Joan's advocation for the native species at her condominium, the park is home to native vegetation and desirable trees for Longboat, such as Live Oaks, Red Cedar, Sabal Palms, Banyon, Mango, Green Buttonwood, Mahoe and Mangroves. 

The park has won several awards, such as the “1998 Outstanding Ecosystem Restoration Award” from the Florida Urban Forestry Council, the “Public Landscape Award” from the Keep Manatee Beautiful organization and the “Image Manatee Beautification Award” from the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce. 

Drake said the Joan M. Durante Park is a wonderful amenity for Longboaters and visitors who value connecting with nature. 

“It is a sanctuary,” said Drake. “It’s a beautiful place to walk, reflect on life and get out in the sun. I think it's pretty cool that it will be a part of Longboat and remember the Durantes’ memory forever.”