|
|
 |
|
Originally representing exclusively Holiday Heights, we have expanded to include the entire Southwest Bradenton in the same manner our district will be united by the planned Greenway Trails and the sorely needed Manatee County park.
|
|
|
|
It is a GREAT time for this Southwest Bradenton area! Our future is looking bright with THREE GREENWAY TRAILS planned along our canals, which will make us the hub of recreational hiking through the whole central Bradenton area. How wonderful it will be to walk or ride a bicycle safely to G.T. Bray Park, Cortez Plaza, DeSoto Square Mall and downtown Bradenton.
Now we need a playground for our children, a park for us all. In March, 2007, 250 Holiday Heights residents petitioned the Manatee County Commissioners for a park. Since then, we have been told that we have a chance of getting a park, IF we have a successful fundraiser showing our support and commitment to a local park.
It is a good time to interest our Manatee County government in planning a park in Holiday Heights. The prices of the vacant properties should be declining as our real estate market sinks; Manatee County is aware of the inequity of the current distribution of parks and recreational areas in the community - There are NO PARKS within five miles of Holiday Heights; and we have an interim buyer, The Trust for Public Land, to purchase and protect the land from development until Manatee County can acquire funding for the park.
Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash said a show of commitment by the community would increase our chances of getting a park. "I'm always encouraged when people are willing to contribute some of their own money, In those situations, the county needs to look real hard at trying to support the community spirit. There's no guarantees of success, but to me I'm always optimistic that if it's the right thing to do we can find a way to do it." Therefore, we are asking you to show your support with a generous contribution to the Holiday Heights Park fund. It is vital that we demonstrate to the County Commissioners that we are ALL working together for Holiday Heights Park.
Make checks (only) Payable to: Manatee County Parks and Recreation - memo: HOLIDAY HEIGHTS PARK. Checks will not be deposited until we have a commitment from Manatee County that the money will be used for our Southwest Bradenton park. Mail to: Holiday Heights Online, 5022 A 24th St W, Bradenton, FL 34207-2321.
Mary Jo Willis, Webmaster
Holiday Heights Online
Manatee High School Connections
My Community is Worth Investing In.
Angie Lewis, Holiday Heights Resident and Park Fundraiser
Reaching out to better others lives is something that we all should do. Whether we like it or not, we are connected in such a way that we are all affected by the good and bad in life. All too often though, the outlook is so dim for many that the good goes unnoticed. Maybe by our efforts and others in our community, we can bring some joy to others.
Things may be difficult at home but instead of staring at it and getting sucked in deeper, they can enjoy a place of rest and solitude in the park. Spend quality time in a safe environment with their children and cultivate a relationship with them rather then parking them in front of the TV or worse, turning them loose in the streets. They could meet neighbors they never knew they had and form friendships that minister to their hearts just when they need it most.
Temporary actions often lead to permanent solutions. You never know.
About The Trust for Public Land
Doug Hattaway (tpl.org)
TPL fulfills its mission of protecting land for people through education, outreach, advocacy and particularly as an interim buyer of property, which the public have deemed worthy of use as a park, open space or other consistent use. Although, TPL's important role is to purchase the property, it is always our intent to subsequently reconvey the property for its perpetual use for the public benefit. So although TPL uses its own money to purchase properties to bridge the gap between a private landowner's interest to sell and the public's interest to see to its protection, it is TPL's (intent) not to manage the properties we purchase, but rather to reconvey the property typically into public hands, receive our capital funds back for use on other important projects and rely on the partner entities to manage the property in perpetuity. Of course, it is in our interest to assist the public identify and secure the public funding necessary for its purchase from TPL. Since TPL almost always purchases and sells property at the same price, we rely almost wholly upon charitable contributions to sustain our organization and offset the extensive costs associated with our work in protecting the property from development. Charitable contributions from the landowners from whom we purchase property is an important part of our revenues.
As you can imagine, there are many cherished properties throughout the nation needing protection, and TPL must act strategically on how to allocate our limited resources. Important considerations include the
strength of the public support, the likelihood of securing funding for
the sale of the property from TPL, the severity of the development
threat to the land and the ability for TPL to offset the expected
considerable costs to protect the property allowing TPL to continue our
public benefit work throughout the nation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
