Nurtured By Nature: Feelin’ Okay at The Bay!

January 2023—Sarasota’s signature public park, The Bay, opened to the public with a 10-day Grand Opening—transforming the city’s bayfront into a world-class destination offering an open, accessible, free and welcoming gathering space for all to enjoy. Everyday activities include nature walks, kayak tours, yoga, Zumba and other fitness classes 

The opening of the first phase, which had been in construction since 2019, includes more than 14 acres of revitalized greenspace, a larger-than-life Ibis playground, Common Ground lawns, the Mangrove Bayou Walkway, an outdoor Reading Room, an ADA-accessible paddle launch, restored and preserved mangroves and shorelines, with spectacular sunset views. The final park will include 53 acres of green space when all phases are completed. Phase 2 development of the park is expected to begin as early as Spring 2023.

The Bay’s annual Friend of The Bay giving campaign is currently underway. By donating as little as $25, the public can support the continued creation of the world-class park and enable free activities, events and programs that benefit the broad and rich diversity of Sarasota and beyond—enabling The Bay to realize its vision of becoming “one park for all.”  With a generous grant from The Patterson Foundation, all donations are being matched.

Community supporters and advocates Debra Jacobs, President/CEO, The Patterson Foundation; Jennifer Compton, Chair of The Bay Park Conservancy and Managing Partner of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP; and A.G. Lafley, Bay Park Conservancy Founding CEO and Former CEO & Chairman of Procter & Gamble were all vital to its launch and to its success. They shared with Scene their passion, vision, and involvement with this project, as well as telling us some of their favorite things about The Bay and ways we can help.

Debra Jacobs
President/CEO, The Patterson Foundation

The Patterson Foundation has long supported this multi-sector, community-strengthening effort by providing $300,000 in catalytic funding and consulting support benefiting the formation and work of the Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization (SBPO) from the inception of its inclusive master-planning phase onward. In January 2019, the SBPO evolved into The Bay Park Conservancy (BPC) to work with the City of Sarasota to create, co-fund, build, and operate a park for all ages.

The Patterson Foundation continues its support for The Bay through catalytic funding for Phase 1 because this all-inclusive iconic park is developed with accountability, transparency and excellence

Since 2016, The Patterson Foundation has given more than $7 million in catalytic funding and strategic consulting to The Bay.

Currently, The Patterson Foundation has committed up to an additional $4 million through a matching challenge for private donors. ​​Each time private philanthropy donates $5 million toward Phase 1 through 2023, The Patterson Foundation will provide a $1 million match, up to a combined total of $24 million.

It is a delight to take newbies for a stroll through The Bay and see their reactions at every turn, including the joy of seeing Sara and Zota, the Danish Ibis on the children’s playground. 

Jennifer Compton
Chair, The Bay Park Conservancy
Managing Partner, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP

I became involved with The Bay over six years ago due to my belief that this project will have the greatest impact in our community in the next 50 years.  

As a child, I rode a yellow school bus to the purple Van Wezel to see a show and ate lunch after on a yellow parking curb in a black top parking lot. Forty years later, kids are still on the yellow bus to the purple building eating lunch on orange parking curbs in a black top parking lot. We can do better for our kids and our community. I am thrilled to play a small part in help transform these 54 acres into an open, accessible blue green oasis in the middle of Sarasota.

I joined the SBPO as a Board Member. Once the BPC was formed, I became Secretary of the Board. As of November 2, 2022, I took over as Chair of the Board. Over these 6+ years I have been educated in all things public-private partnership. I am humbled to see the vision expressed by our community take shape. Every person that answered a survey, came to a meeting or workshop, who expressed delight in any aspect of The Bay is part of our founding team.

My favorite thing to do in the park is eavesdrop. I love to listen as park guests express joy and surprise at what they find. I love to hear children laughing on the playground or throwing a ball. I delight in listening to the audience clap and sing along with the music.  When a park guest expresses delight in what they find at The Bay, I smile because I know we are doing something great.

A.G. Lafley
Bay Park Conservancy Founding CEO
Former CEO & Chairman, Procter & Gamble

I committed to this civic initiative six years ago because I saw the potential for transformation of a parking lot into a park on conserved and environmentally restored land on Sarasota Bay. I saw a vision of a mishmash of abandoned and underused buildings into a gathering place that would become open and accessible, free and welcoming to the full and rich diversity of our community now and for generations to come.

I served as Chair of the Master Planning Committee (the Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization) for 2 years, and as Founding CEO of the Bay Park Conservancy the past 4 years. 

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with the City of Sarasota and the community, my colleagues on the park conservancy board and team, and an incredible group of private and public partners and stakeholders to bring The Bay to life. 

The first $40 million phase of the park opened mid-October. 50,000 guests came to the park during the 10-day opening. 

The second $65 million phase will begin development in 2023.

Benefits of urban green space…

Parks and other public green spaces have many benefits apart from making our city more attractive. 

• Parks and green spaces keep us healthy and happy providing space to relax and exercise in, spend time with family and friends, and appreciate nature.
• They provide much needed homes for urban wildlife. Without them, many native plants and animals would struggle to survive.
• They reduce the impact of climate change by absorbing carbon and decreasing the impact of extreme weather events such as flooding and high temperatures. 
• Parks clean the air by filtering out fine particles and absorbing some of the harmful pollutants we find in the city.
• Parks are important for the economy.  They attract businesses and visitors and boost property prices. 
• They provide space for children to play for free helping them develop cognitively, socially, and physically. 
• They promote social cohesion enabling communities to come together at a time when concerns are being raised about growing division.
• Parks are a vital part of our natural heritage, cultural fabric, and civic identity. 

To make a donation and become a Friend of The Bay, visit thebaysarasota.org/become-a-friend-of-the-bay.