New Play Equipment - Gillespie Park  Children have another fun way to spend their time outdoors in Gillespie Park.  A new climbing structure reaching all the way up 24 feet in the air was recently installed for kids 5 to 12-years-old.   Three spinner seats also were installed in the shade.

These new amenities are possible thanks to a generous $50,000 grant from the Selby Foundation, which we greatly appreciate.  Investing in parks and children is a significant part of community building and we're pleased we were able to boost the amenities at Gillespie Park, thanks to the Selby Foundation.

Bird Key Bridges - Seawalls to Be Repaired  The seawalls on the four bridges on Bird Key will receive some safety improvements throughout the rest of the calendar year.  At this time, no road closures are expected. 

The bridge on Pheasant Drive will be the first one on the schedule.  Work is planned to begin at the end of June and run through August.  The scope of the work on all the bridges will include repairing concrete, correcting voids behind the seawall, installing sheet piling and replacing seawall caps and anchors. 

For the Pheasant Drive bridge, the water in the area will have to be removed.  To accomplish this, a pump will have to run 24 hours a day throughout the project.  Staff is researching a noise reduction deflector.  Of the four bridges, this is the only one that will require de-watering.


*  Wild Turkey Lane:  Mid-July to early October
*  S. Bird Key Drive:   Late July to early November
*  N. Bird Key Drive:   Early August to early December   

Tourism Report - Visitation Down Slightly   After seeing steady monthly tourism growth for the past five years, Visit Sarasota County

	Dolphin Fountain at Bayfront Park (Courtesy:  Visit Sarasota County)

is reporting a slight decline for April.  This reflects national trends as well as what VSC prognosticated.

While visitation numbers are considered flat, spending actually increased 3%. We're told that consumer uncertainty tends to prevail leading up to an open presidential election. 

As we enter into the hot summer months, some might consider a stay-cation right here in our special city!

Yoga in the Park - June 18    If you enjoy yoga, or perhaps you've been interested in trying it, you're invited to participate in a free session, Yoga in the Park, on Sat., June 18 at Bayfront Park. 

The class will be taught by Claudia Baeza, a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer who recently moved to Sarasota.  She reached out to our Parks and Rec Director, Jerry Fogle, inquiring about how she could share her love of wellness and yoga while giving back to her new community. The class will be one hour and held on the grassy area in Bayfront Park between the marina and O'Leary's Tiki Bar.  Everyone is welcome!

There is no cost to participate in Yoga in the Park.  Donations will be accepted and directed to the youth programs at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex.     

The following is the current show schedule through 2016. For more information visit www.VanWezel.org