The Bay Park Conservancy
2025 Annual Report
2025 Year in Review
From the beginning, these Guiding Principles listed below serve as the touchstone of every idea, design, decision and action at The Bay.
2025 results and the continued progress of creating “More Park for All” are examples of how these Principles are brought to life every day.
One Park for All
Enables community aspirations to become everyday realities. Free and welcoming, open and accessible to the full and rich diversity of the community, now and for generations to come.
1,000,000
cumulative visits since the park first opened in October 2022. (330,000 visits to The Bay in 2025).
62,000
people participated in at least one FREE park activity, program or event in 2025.
4.6 million
Cumulative connections have been made with those in the community through outreach meetings, communications (e.g. newsletters, social) and with guests in the park.
Through December 2025
Transformation
A living learning laboratory that is transforming a parking lot into a signature public park along Sarasota Bay.
The completed 53-acre park in total will cost an estimated $200 million and will take approximately 8-10 years to complete over four or more phases.
Phase 2 design and construction (a $65 million project) continued in 2025 — creating “More Park for All” by expanding the “ring” of resilient park green space around the site.
Phase 2 progress in 2025 included:
Canal District (North of 10th Street): In 2025, final construction efforts of a rehabilitated seawall and new floating day docks on the south side of the basin enabled this area to open in Feb 2026, providing new access to the park from the water. Design of the first bayfront restaurant began.
Cultural District: Major milestones included the completion and opening of the rehabilitated historic Chidsey Library (1941, now home to the Bay Park Conservancy offices), and the stunning tree-lined Promenade along U.S. 41 (the front face of the park). Additional progress included: restoration of the Garden Club lawns damaged by the 2024 hurricanes, and continued renovation of the Bayfront Community Center (1940, which opened Feb 2026). Design efforts of the new vibrant Town Square gathering place (Opening Fall 2026) and Municipal Auditorium (1937) and Blue Pagoda (1956) renovations continued.
Resilient Shoreline: Designs were finalized to expand the living, resilient shoreline along the western edge of the site, incorporating important learning from Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. This project will enable the park to better handle and endure flooding and storm surges that are inherent parts of tropical storms and hurricanes. (Expected completion Early 2027)
Blue & Green Oasis
Conserves, preserves, restores and transforms 53 acres of precious city-owned land along Sarasota Bay into a blue and green oasis, beginning with the first & best use of the land and water.
40+ million
gallons of polluted stormwater from nearby N. Tamiami Trail, from east of the Trail, and from the site itself are treated in the park before flowing into Sarasota Bay every year.
12
acres of green space were meticulously maintained – including golf-course quality lawns, botanical gardens, and thousands of Florida-friendly and native trees and plants.
Good to Be Green Months (March-April ’25) celebrated environmental efforts in and around the park including Bay Fest (in partnership with Sarasota County), Earth Day and Arbor Day (incl. a tree giveaway in partnership with the City of Sarasota).
A Beloved Gathering Place
Is an enlivened destination that encourages people to come together, to share with family and friends, to enjoy being with nature and to experience new and favorite activities – something for everyone to enjoy… for free.
92%
of event participants rate their experience as Excellent/Very Good.
97%
of park guests say they will return.
34,000+
people attended Three Years and Thriving at The Bay — the month-long Third Anniversary community celebration offering 80+ FREE events which showcased the very “best of The Bay” including food and music festivals, a Boo! Halloween family gathering and more!
Community of Partnerships
Partnering with countless citizens, partners, foundations, businesses, government and others who contribute their time, talents, hard work and hard-earned money to help ensure the aspirations of the community are realized every day at The Bay.
In the seventh of a 15-year Long-Term Partnership Agreement, The Bay Park Conservancy and City of Sarasota Public-Private partnership helps enable financial and operational sustainability, and transparent decision making.
Steadfast support from Sarasota’s local foundations continued:
Gulf Coast Community Foundation concluded a $2 million Challenge Match which activated broad-range support from Friends throughout the community.
The Patterson Foundation provided a $1 million Capping Gift (with a cumulative $10 million investment in the park), catalyzing a total of $50 million total in private funding.
Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation approved a $1 million grant to improve park resiliency as part of Phase 2 efforts.
Community Foundation of Sarasota County approved a three-year $200,000 grant to continue support of free park programming excellence.
125 Business Partners have helped support ongoing free programming for everyone to enjoy.
A high-caliber, networked team of more than 175 consultants, contractors and partner-providers added expertise, capabilities, experience and talents to design, build, operate, maintain and program this signature public park.
68 non-profit organizations have partnered with The Bay Park Conservancy to provide free events and experiences.
Sustainable in Every Way
Great parks help make great cities. The Bay is a signature public park that is financially feasible, operationally doable, and environmentally sustainable – built and operated to last for generations to come.
2,500+
Friends of The Bay to date.
$28.9 million
in total contributions and other 2025 revenue.
100%
of Phase 2 design and development is funded — by a 50/50 City/County TIF-Backed City Bond ($48 million), Government Grants and private contributions ($17 million).
$11.5 million
2025 year-ending balance of the BPC Endowment to ensure long-term financial sustainability of the park and its operations.
Awards & Accolades
In 2025, The Bay received additional recognition, including:
2025 Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Community Impact Award Winner
2025 Best of SRQ Local Readers’ Competition | Best Public Space (Silver)
2025 Global Architizer A+ | Public Parks and Green Spaces (The Nest)
2025 American Institute of Architects:
Florida People’s Choice | 2nd Place (The Nest)
Gulf Coast | New Work Excellence (The Nest)