“This will help preserve the natural beauty of Sarasota Bay,” says Bay Park Conservancy Board Secretary Jennifer Compton.
Sarasota, FL – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis awarded a $10.4 million dollar grant to the City of Sarasota and The Bay Park Conservancy (BPC) this morning. The funds will be used by the BPC for infrastructure and coastal resiliency projects, including improving the shoreline at The Bay Park to protect the area from erosion and damage caused by flooding.
Sarasota Managing Partner and Vice Chair of Shumaker's Management Committee, Jennifer Compton, is a founding Board Member of the BPC and also serves as the BPC Board Secretary. The Sarasota native is playing a prominent role in the long-awaited development of the 53 acres along Sarasota Bay, known as ‘The Bay’. The more than $150 million dollar project will transform city-owned land, which is mostly a parking lot, into a blue-and-green oasis that celebrates nature, promotes environmental sustainability, and provides accessibility for every member of the community. Jennifer was on hand for this morning’s check presentation.
“This grant will help accelerate the work being done by the BPC to preserve the natural beauty of Sarasota Bay while creating an iconic park destination where people can gather, make memories, and interact with Sarasota Bay in a way never done before in Sarasota,” Jennifer said. “I am committed to leaving and creating a world-class park that is open and accessible to all, and that will benefit generations to come. This tremendous grant takes us one step closer towards our park becoming a reality.”
The BPC applied for the grant in partnership with the City of Sarasota.
Click here for Interview with Jennifer Compton
Jennifer is using her legal expertise to pave the way for The Bay. She created a first-of-its-kind private/public partnership agreement between the BPC and City of Sarasota. Jennifer was also one of the founding directors of the Sarasota Bayfront Planning Organization, which was the predecessor organization to the BPC.
Construction is well underway for the first phase of The Bay, and some attractions, including the mangrove bayou walkway, are already open.
“Fifteen years from now, people aren’t even going to be able to picture what this site was before it was The Bay Park,” Jennifer added.