PETITION TO PRESERVE PAYNE PARK

Please SAVE OUR TENNIS COURTS!! And the rest of the green nature areas for many many residents to enjoy!

I cannot speak highly enough about the Orchestra, its performers and its programs. I am, though, almost speechless at this outrageous proposal by the Orchestra's leadership and $$$'d sponsors. It is a Putin-esq, 'thief in the night', proposed taking. Think Ukraine. Do I hear the word Collusion? Sneaky, and unworthy of such a fine contributor to Sarasota's appeal. Why not throw in a Bowling alley? Why not an ice rink? (They at least provide exercise!) Why not anything that has a $$ coupon attached? We, the people, request an immediate vote from our Representatives to DENY the proposal OUTRIGHT. Please commissioners, do THE RIGHT THING next Monday and do not listen to sotto voce whispers into to attorneys' ears. And please, please have the Proposer spare us from legal semantics. We know what Mr & Mrs Payne intended. We know the truth. A PARK is a P-A-R-K is a PARK. For the people of this city. Our LEGACY GIFT from them. Free from the self serving cabals of invaders like the SO's high and mighty, so called, leadership. Lance Disley

Defeat Payne Park

Beautiful and quite a "Historic Park". Please leave it alone. Joseph Francis McDonough

When the Paynes donated the land to the City of Sarasota, they specifically stated that the land be used for "park, playground, or kindred uses, and for no other use or purpose". How the Sarasota Orchestra can justify making the outrageous claim that building their new performance hall in Payne Park falls within that stipulation is beyond the wildest stretch of anyone's imagination. This is akin to building a movie theater there. They would be paving over 7 acres of beautiful open space and wildlife habitat which will be lost forever. The Sarasota Orchestra had plenty of opportunity to build in the previously vacant Ringling Shopping Center where they would have plenty of space for all of their needs. I urge you to please vote NO on their proposal!

I was forced to move out of the Sarasota Mobile home park, as were all of the other home owners there, because of the Stipulation in the Payne Family gift trust for the park. It was found that the Park had to be a Park & Open space. There are plenty of abandoned shopping centers and buildings around the county that can be utilized as a concert hall. If this building is put through, I am sure that I and others have a case to sue the city and county is the park is paved over for this un-needed building!

Oppose the Orchestra taking over the tennis court space.

Honor the wishes of the donors or no one will want to give to Sarasota in the future!

Please build the concert hall somewhere else. How about Westfield Siesta Mall? It's already empty with plenty of parking. The orchestra DOES NOT need to be downtown!! All green areas (the few we have!) need to be preserved.

There are better places to put the orchestra that don't use up valuable green space.

We need green space in the City of Sarasota.

I love this park please don’t not get rid of it.

The orchestra has 52 acres in the Bay Project to build. They won't because a mega rich donor won't fund them if they build there. Should one rich man's whim be allowed to offset the public's will? That you should even consider this violation of green space is a betrayal of public trust. If they won't use the Bay Project, why is Payne Park the only other option?

Please save this park!

I appreciate the arts and hope the Sarasota Orchestra is able to find a home downtown, but there is very little green space in the area and we truly need to protect what we have. Please protect Payne Park!

My grandson enjoyed the park for years. We need this part close to down town!

Find another spot where there green space has already been removed. Don't spoil the environment!!!

Please protect the park and find an alternative.

add the orchestra to the Bay front project

Keep Payne Park as is or make it better as a park for everybody to enjoy