County Commissioners rename park after former commissioner Nora Patterson
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| Nora Patterson |
SARASOTA COUNTY – Sarasota County Commissioners unanimously agreed last week to rename Bay Island Park after former County Commissioner Nora Patterson.
Renaming the park, located on Siesta Key, was to honor Patterson for her contributions as an eight-year county commissioner for District 4.
Commission Chair Carolyn Mason, who helped to spearhead the effort, said that Patterson served as a positive influence on her career as an elected official. Both Mason and Patterson are former City of Sarasota Commissioners, and served together for six years on the Board of County Commissioners.
“Nora Patterson is a very special person to me,” Mason said. “This is only a small gesture to thank her for her very large contributions to Sarasota County over the years. She has been, and will continue to be, a leader for this community.”
Patterson said she was honored to have the park named after her, especially a waterfront park, as public water access was one of the causes she championed during her time in office.
She added that she was surprised by the county commission’s gesture.
“It’s totally unexpected,” Patterson said. “But, one of the most important things is to maintain public access to the waterfront, so to have a park like this carry my name is just fantastic.”
Bay Island Park has been undergoing a seawall replacement, but the work is expected to be completed this summer. Located at 946 Siesta Drive, Bay Island Park remains open year-round from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. and offers activities including birding, fishing and water viewing. Amenities at the park include benches, parking, restrooms and picnic tables.
For more information about any of Sarasota County’s parks, beaches, reserves or preserves, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000, or visit www.scgov.net.
