Nathan Benderson Park lake starts world-class transition

EAST COUNTY — Construction crews for Sarasota County are slated to begin dredging the lake at Nathan Benderson Park this week, lengthening and deepening the body of water to meet international rowing standards for a 2,000-meter sprint course.

The boat ramp at Nathan Benderson Park closed July 12 to 19, as dredging equipment was brought on site and assembled. Dredging was delayed slightly due to mechanical issues, but the process was slated to begin Thursday, Aug. 9, after the East County Observer went to press.

Dredging will start at the north end of the lake and continue south along the west shoreline.

“The dredging is required to meet the minimum depth requirement for the international rowing community; it also then allows us to pull material for the lake and use it for the island,” said Sarasota County’s Bob Whitford, park manager for Nathan Benderson Park. “It’s a win-win.”

Dirt removed from the lake — an estimated minimum of 250,000 cubic yards of material in total — will be used to create a 30-acre regatta island, which will be home to Nathan Benderson Park operations, as well as to special events hosted at the park by Sarasota County.

Already, more than 500,000 cubic yards of materials have been placed at the site to start the island’s creation.

The west bank of the park remains open to the public, as does the entrance off Honore Avenue. Individuals can fish from the western and southern shores of the lakes, and boaters also can boat south of where dredging is occurring, Whitford said.

“It’s going to be a shared scenario,” Whitford said. “It’s important we have the lake open to the public and the community. (People) just (need to) stay away from the construction operation and everything will be good.”

Dredging should be finished sometime in November, Whitford said. The county, he added, will start the second phase of the project in about a month, with work beginning on roads and trails. That work, however, likely won’t be visible to the public until October.

As part of the project, Sarasota will be relocating the boat launch ramp to the southeast corner of the lake, making it accessible from the new Cattlemen Road extension. The existing launch, which is accessed via the Honore Avenue entrance, will be removed, Whitford said.

“Toward January and February, you’ll see lots of work on the island as it takes shape and we put the roads in,” Whitford said.

Paul Blackketter, project manager for Benderson Development and chief operating officer for the SunCoast Aquatic Nature Center Association, the non-profit tasked with managing rowing facilities in both Sarasota and Manatee counties, said the project is, overall, about six months ahead of schedule.

“We got the dirt on site and beat the rainy season,” Blackketter said.

Sarasota County commissioners approved a master plan for Nathan Benderson Park in 2010 that includes a 2,000-meter rowing course, grandstands, ample parking, a boathouse and other amenities, to make the site one of the most sought-after rowing locations across the world. Although the site has already hosted dozens of rowing regattas, representatives of the county and the association are working to secure major rowing and other events to the facility as early as 2013.

Other plans for the park include four “adventure” parks along the western shoreline of the lake, as well as fitness stations. Smaller water bodies to the north of the main lake, and the land around them, will offer opportunities for other recreational activities such as canoeing, boating, bicycling and more. Sarasota plans to construct a concession stand, playground and other amenities in future phases of the project.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Marketing Efforts
With construction of Nathan Benderson Park’s rowing facilities under way, representatives of Sarasota County and the SunCoast Aquatic Nature Center Association are working to secure the site as a world-class rowing venue.

Bob Whitford, Sarasota’s park manager for Nathan Benderson Park, headed Aug. 3, to the USRowing Masters National Championships in Massachussetts, while Paul Blackketter, COO of Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Association, heads Aug. 10, to Bulgaria to meet with officials from the International Rowing Federation, also known as FISA.