By Ed Scott April 19, 2020
SUN PHOTO BY SCOTT LAWSON
Preliminary work is underway on what will ultimately be a 79-acre lake at West Villages Town Center.
WEST VILLAGES — Ten years ago, at the tail end of the Great Recession, the North Port City Commission was looking for a way to spur economic development.
So they mapped out a plan for future aquatic facilities in the region.
They had their hearts set on splash pads in parks and a “medium family aquatic center” at Butler Park.
Their vision included what has become the 80-mile Blueways Trails — a canal system longer than the one in Venice, Italy — which links the city’s many canals for canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts through five non-motorized launches: Dallas White Park, Blue Ridge Park, McKibben Park, Snover Waterway and Butler Park.
The city also has Marina Park, where motorized boaters can access the lower portion of Myakkahatchee Creek.
Commissioners also said medium family aquatic centers could potentially be built at Warm Mineral Springs — which was then privately owned — and at a 63-acre park that would be built in the West Villages Improvement District (WVID).
That area of town also was under consideration for a pool site.
During the Great Recession, the WVID consisted of some homes in IslandWalk and fewer than 10 in Gran Paradiso.
North Port’s Aquatic Center had a soft opening in October 2019 along West Price Boulevard and its use has been hampered by the coronavirus. The city purchased Warm Mineral Springs Park in 2010. The city also touts the Atwater Splash Pad at Atwater Community Park.
But a decade after the master plan was launched, there remains no aquatic center at Warm Mineral Springs.
Commissioners approved a master plan last year.
There are now thousands of homes in the West Villages, where officials are excavating land for a 79-acre lake in the community. They hope the lake — which would be the size of a small subdivision — will serve as the centerpiece for West Villages Town Center, to create an amenity that ties all of the neighborhoods together.
“It will likely act as a water recreation destination for the region,” said Rick Severance, president of West Villages. “It will be a public lake.”
Normally lakes in Sarasota County are much smaller and engineered exclusively for stormwater retention. However, its size and recreational use make this one different.
At about 79 acres, it’s large, but — by comparison — the lake at Nathan Benderson Park used for competitive rowing is 400 acres.
Ultimately, the West Villages lake project — part of its eyed downtown — would likely include a 2.8-mile wellness and cycle track, waterfront dining options, retail possibilities, apartments, a splash pad, playground, performance lawn and stage along with an area for E-bikes, according to information provided by the developer.
It will be between Prado Road and West Villages Parkway, positioned about midway between West Villages Marketplace and IslandWalk.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
“Construction is considered an essential service,” Severance said in reference to the impact of coronavirus on the economy. “We are continuing to do what we have always done. The virus has caused everyone to press pause and re-evaluate, but we are continuing to look at the horizon, which is 2022.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a wetland and endangered species review of the project. The city approved a development review order March 26.
North Port City Commissioner Vanessa Carusone said if the lake is accessible by the general public, it should be included in the master plan. The decade-old aquatics master plan, she added, is due for a review by the city. Ten years is a long time.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District and the state Department of Environmental Protection completed a large review of flooding in the city.
“Does that play a role in utilizing our waterways?” particularly the waterways interconnected for kayaking, Carusone said. “Does that play a role in eliminating or adding” aquatic amenities. It is a different day and age.”
Meanwhile, homes are still for sale in West Villages, Severance said.
“Quality of life surpasses and supersedes our current situation,” he said. When you make an investment in the quality of life, we are a likely candidate.”
Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate
REALTOR®, Lic. Broker #BK3284964
West Villages Realty LLC
19503 S West Villages Pkwy
Stes A2 & A11 (by Appt)
Venice, Florida 34293
Office: 941-460-3179
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