When land and/or a facility is owned by taxpayers and its use is free to the public, more often than not its maintenance and upkeep become severely neglected due to there being no real incentive for anyone to enhance, or simply maintain, the property. Therefore, a laundry list of necessary repairs begins to pile up with no one taking responsibility, morally OR financially, for them… And that is exactly the case with the dilapidated Lido Beach Pavilion.

For years, the City and Citizens of Sarasota have been looking for someone to take on this project of improving/renovating the site. The Lido Beach Pavilion is in desperate need of renovations and repairs, consisting of:

• Replacing the pavilion’s entire electrical system
• Replacing all plumbing
• Installing an entirely new roof
• Renovating the rundown pool facility and replacing broken/rusted pool equipment
• Gentrifying the unkempt grassy area surrounding the structure

The group opposing these renovations, “Save Lido Beach Pavilion” via Facebook, has been fighting against any development to the site, yet provides no alternative plan or solution for these long-overdue repairs in place of the plan outlined by the Lido Beach Redevelopment group. The Redevelopment group has very clear plans to fix all of these necessary repairs, along with a long list of recommended added improvements to the facility:

• Renovated public restrooms
• Better sidewalk connections
• ADA accessibility
• Addition of multiple shade structures for dining and recreation
• Public picnic-style tables
• New pool amenities
• Installation of a children’s playground area
• Enclosing the loading/unloading and refuse area with an opaque wall
• A reasonable amount of landscape improvements

The “Save Lido Pavilion” Petition has many misleading statements regarding the plans for the redevelopment project and the intentions of the project partners.

To read more about these misrepresentations and what the facts really are, here is an outlined document revisiting and correcting all of the petition’s statements:

drive.google.com/file/d/1wbd0aUL17KO1F-Nix1uIPqVFTbhfW3MO/view

Link to the rendering of the project’s colored site plan:

drive.google.com/file/d/1SfkspXmMt7TNeO2FxNLyDGWM4KK-8fJy/view

More information regarding the recent hearing with the planning committee, the reality of the Pavilion’s necessary renovations/the lack of an alternative plan from the opposing party, along with the history of the City’s search for a private enterprise to undertake this project can be found in these 2 articles from YourObserver.com:

https://www.yourobserver.com/article/pavilion-tragedy-of-the-commons

https://www.yourobserver.com/article/commission-beware

What can YOU do?

1. Sign and Share the Petition in Support of the Lido Beach Pavilion Renovations!
2. Visit and “like” our Facebook page, Save Lido Beach Pavilion Truths, to get involved in the conversation and to stay updated with all Lido Beach Redevelopment news: www.facebook.com/lidobeachdevelopment/
3. Call City Hall at 365-2200 and schedule a meeting with City Commissioners to share your opinion and discuss your views on the proposed renovation plans.
4. Email the Sarasota City Commission at Commissioners@sarasotafl.gov
5. Email the 5 City Commissioners directly:
   • Mayor Liz Alpert (District Two): Liz.Alpert@sarasotafl.gov
   • Vice-Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch (At-Large): Jen.Ahearn-Koch@sarasotafl.gov
   • Commissioner Hagen Brody (At-Large): Hagen.Brody@sarasotafl.gov
   • Commissioner Willie Charles Shaw (District One): Willie.Shaw@sarasotafl.gov
   • Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie (District Three): Shelli.FreelandEddie@sarasotafl.gov