What's wrong with keeping Sarasota's Ken Thompson Park green, scenic and free?

The Sarasota City Commission recently voted to consider an unsolicited bid from local developer Jeff Koffman of RIDE Entertainment to bring a number of commercial enterprises to Ken Thompson Park on City Island, just over the bridge from south Longboat Key.

Over strong objections from Commissioners Jen Ahern-Koch and Debbie Trice, the other commissioners – Mayor Liz Alpert, Kyle Battie and Erik Arroyo (who put the proposal on the agenda) – chose to move the proposal for a public/private partnership to the Parks, Recreation and Environmental Protections (PREP) advisory board for further consideration.

This decision was not only disappointing, but counterintuitive in the light of recent history. As former PREP board chair and Lido Key resident Carl Shoffstall noted at the next PREP meeting, local residents have strongly opposed and ultimately defeated previous attempts to privatize parts of Paul Thorpe Park, the Lido Pavilion, Bobby Jones and Payne Park.

“The citizens of Sarasota were adamant that they did not want this to happen in any of the parks,” Shoffstall said, referring to commercialization.

Given that clear message and the sheer amount of pressing issues the city is currently facing, is it really sensible to ask city staff and advisory board members (who are volunteers) to go through this exercise again?

Drawings for the proposal, which Koffman said would “activate” an “underutilized” park show (among other amenities) a water taxi to the mainland; a “beachfront” restaurant; a “park golf” course and a “scenic” tower called the Aerobar (“Why drink on the ground when you can drink in the sky?”) – all of which would come with a price tag for participants.

That notion was so outlandish to City Commission candidate Ron Kashden that he showed up at the next PREP board meeting with a facetious proposal of his own to build “Sarasota Slides,” a giant waterslide on top of City Hall that would also serve hamburger “sliders” named after former Commissioner Hagan Brody. (Nobody even laughed; a sense of humor is in short supply around City Hall these days.)

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But seriously, did we learn nothing from the pandemic?

Not long after the COVID lockdown began, sales of running and walking shoes started going through the roof. Bicycle shops, stripped of stock, had year-long waiting lists. The most popular column I wrote during that period was a “listicle” (a word frowned upon by disapproving old-school journalists) of 10 little-known local spots where people could enjoy a bit of green, a breath of fresh air and enough elbow room to feel unthreatened and relaxed.

What all of this meant, of course, was that having access to nature and room to roam was critically important to our collective mental health and the community’s well-being during a time of stress and strife. That was confirmed by Mitchell Silver, a noted urban planner and former commissioner of parks and recreation for New York City, in a recent Architecture Sarasota lecture.

“Parks, greenways and public spaces became our sanctuaries of sanity,” Silver said. “They have the power to heal and they bring joy. . . Do not underestimate the power of parks.”

While the fears of the pandemic have waned, the weight and anxieties of our present world have only increased. Our need for quiet, uncrowded, natural spaces where we can decompress and revive is still, and will continue to be, more important than ever.

When the beaches were temporarily shut down four years ago, walking to Ken Thompson from my home became the substitute for my daily strolls on the Lido shoreline. While the constant stream of traffic along the John Ringling Parkway was never calming (and sometimes dangerous if I had to cross the street), I could be assured of a peaceful, pleasant experience once I reached the park.

The boardwalk that winds through the mangroves and ends in a magnificent view of the city skyline was always a lesson in the local eco-system. A friendly dog or two taking its owner out for a walk was sure to give me a lick or a friendly nuzzle. The people fishing off the piers, the windsurfers launching from the boat ramp, the children shrieking on the playground were happy diversions that still allowed me my solace. It was everything a walk in the park should be: natural, nurturing, restorative – and free.

Ken Thompson is one of the city’s only parks with a stunning waterfront view and a huge inviting green space suitable for large gatherings. According to the Parks Master Plan, which the city commissioned after it took control of the parks from the county, it ranks high in visitor satisfaction (4 out of 5 stars). A recent survey of visitors to the park showed that while more trees for shade, picnic areas and “unpaved” sidewalks would be welcomed, “conservation of natural areas” was the top priority.

If “underactivation” at Kent Thompson is actually a problem – find me one person who would prefer it was crowded – are there changes that could draw more people without increasing the traffic that is already an issue for Lido and Longboat residents?

The water taxi service that several entrepreneurs are exploring is one possibility (though, by its nature, fee-based and thus exclusionary for some). Another would be for the city to take up Commissioner Trice’s suggestion to extend the route of the Bay Runner trolley – which currently runs between downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Key – to the park, bringing in more activity but fewer cars.

And if the overriding concern is to “utilize” the space further, why not create a community garden where the fruits of volunteers’ labor could help support food insufficient members of our community? And a composting center that could keep organic waste out of our landfills?

As Sarasota’s population and built environment continue to grow exponentially – the number of city residents is predicted to reach 66,000 by 2030 – preserving every inch of green space we have left within the city limits should be a top priority. As should keeping those spaces free and accessible to those whose financial status put many of Sarasota’s other cultural assets out of reach.

Our parks should profit the people, not the profiteers.

Contact Carrie Seidman at carrie.seidman@heraldtribune.com or 505-238-0392.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota's Ken Thompson Park doesn't need a tacky makeover