- May 9, 2024
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As the car carriers arrive and the snowbirds flock north, it’s time to close the book on another season. This year got off to a rocky start with the red tide bloom, but overall, it was a typical, busy season. From the fun side of social events to the serious side of emergency calls, the Longboat Observer asks how this season stacked up with years past.
It’s always difficult to characterize traffic over the course of months of comings and goings of residents, visitors, tourists, and business vehicles.
Two things this year that could have made a difference:
“This season, anecdotally, didn’t seem as bad as last year or maybe the year before, but it’s still frustrating,” Town Manager Tom Harmer said. “So much of it is out of our control.”
Harmer also said seasonal crowds can highlight issues that ordinarily might not be as critical, such as parking. It can also make getting around a little tough, which is why there is a core group of Public Works employees who season after season park their vehicles north of town and ride bikes the final few miles.
To hear Fire Chief Paul Dezzi or Police Chief Pete Cumming tell it, the end of season annually brings a noticeable drop in calls for service, but their agencies each keep pretty busy no matter what the calendar says.
“It is a relief,’’ Dezzi said. “To the medic running calls, I think they would say yes. Administratively, though, our work is constant.’’
Both departments keep staffing levels consistent through the year, the chiefs said. Cumming said he has some overtime to work with and plans extra shifts from time to time. Dezzi said his department sees calls for such things as falls, illnesses and other medical or rescue help begin to climb in October, fall off a bit around the holidays, then climb again through Easter. In fact, on Friday, April 26, he said, a walk-in patient at the south station around lunchtime was the first response of the day — a few weeks earlier, he said, about four or five would have been handled by that time.
Cumming said he thought this season was quieter than previous and “better behaved.’’
He said his officers focus on education and compliance first with the notion of heading off future problems, especially at Greer Island and Jewfish Key, popular weekend spots.
Despite the red tide outbreak, Longboat Key restaurants and hotels reported strong seasons.
“It was terrific,” Michael Garey, co-proprietor of The Lazy Lobster and Tyler’s Ice Cream said. “We had the red tide sort of put us in the hole, but our business turned right around in the middle of November, and we were up over previous years, so we considered it a great success.”
Harry Christensen of Harry’s Continental Kitchens said the same. Despite two years in a row of natural challenges, in 2017 Hurricane Irma hit in September, service picked up in November.
“I think it would have been more incredible without all of the red tide,” Christensen, who noticed an increase in sales from last year, said.
Harry and Lynn Christensen joked that they will be back next year after such a strong season.
Christensen said the peak for Harry’s was from Valentine’s Day to Easter, which is similar to when Jeff Mayers, the general manager of The Resort at Longboat Key Club, said is the resort’s busiest time.
“Actually, it was a very strong season, and once we got after Presidents’ Day weekend we were extremely busy, so I think the red tide is behind us, and fortunately, our guests came back,” he said.
Over at Bayfront Park, Shane Catts said Happy Paddler Kayak Tours & EcoVentures had a strong season once red tide disappeared. Normally, peak season for the business runs from Valentine’s Day to Easter, but it had a slow start. However, overall they just exceeded their revenue projections, plus Catts said dolphins and manatees are back in the area.
“I think there was some anxiety on some travelers at first,” he said. “No one wanted to book because they were worried about red tide, and I still get questions about it, but I think by April, everybody felt good.”
Longboat residents had full social calendars this year, and it shows. Photos from 161 events were published in the Longboat Observer between Oct. 1 and May 1. Last year, 145 events were covered between October and April 12. From church dinners and fashion shows to fundraisers and concerts, there were events that fancied everyone’s tastes this season.
Graham Sampson, who plans events for his fellow neighbors at Longboat Harbour, said this season they had an estimated 30 events, all which sold out, ranging from bingo nights to a fundraising concert that brought in $791 for All Faiths Food Bank.
“Everything is about having a party,” he said.
Outside of condominium complexes, various organizations held islandwide events. Longboat Key Garden Club President Susan Phillips said most of the events this season had some of the club’s highest attendance rates. The holiday party and Taste of the Keys and Fashion Show sold out, and the annual home tour was larger this year, causing the group to add an extra hour to the day. Additionally, club membership is the highest it has ever been, at 330, and the club awarded the most it ever has in scholarships this year, with $34,000.
At town events, Phillips, who is also assistant to the town manager, said attendance was up at the annual artists reception, and the Citizens Academy had a higher turnout than expected with 34 people in attendance.
