bserver O
LONGBOAT
You. Your neighbors. Your neighborhood.
NEWS
NEIGHBORHOOD
DIVERSIONS
Twin Shores residents step back in time for ‘senior’ prom. PAGE 1B
Bello Nock is living large on his Sarasota funny farm. INSIDE
Longboat Library could receive funds from Sarasota County. PAGE 3A
OUR TOWN
Thursday, JANUARY 26, 2012
resident input
by Robin Hartill | City Editor
COMMUNITY CONCEPT With more lands and funds available, some residents believe that hopes for a community center at Bayfront Park could finally come to fruition.
Mallory Gnaegy
Sy and Carole Klionsky with Eli Groner
+ Family friend stops for a visit Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs to the U.S., Eli Groner, gave one of his first public appearances since his appointment Jan. 18, at Temple Beth Israel. Approximately 300 people were in attendance. He said he decided to visit because Sy Klionsky “is very convincing.” Klionsky and his wife, Carole, Temple Beth Israel members, have known Groner, from Binghamton, N.Y., since he was 10 months old. Before his visit, they hadn’t seen each other for 26 years.
Dora Walters
Patty Bower and Karen Fors mark books that will be for sale.
+ Christ Church sets ‘sale’ The Key is known for its annual gigantic rummage sales, and a new one has been added this year. On March 10, Christ Church of Longboat Key, Presbyterian, will hold “Sale Away,” featuring clothing, furniture books, household items and more. Co-Chairwomen are Sue Wertman and Vivian Chester. Proceeds will benefit local mission programs. St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church and all Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church also will hold sales in March.
Rendering courtesy of Wannemacher Jensen Architects Inc.
The concept plan presented at last week’s meeting includes a new community center building, kayak launch, multi-use active recreation space and a community garden. The latest plans for Bayfront Park include a community center with an activity room and community room, each with 3,000 square feet, along with a 2,000-square-foot exercise room and, possibly, a rooftop terrace. The park property itself would have a kayak beach launch, community garden, multi-use active
recreation area and sports court and the potential for an off-leash, dog-play area. Architect Lisa Wannemacher, of the St. Petersburg-based Wannemacher Jensen Architects and who also designed the concept for the proposed community center in 2004, presented the concept plan at a Jan. 18 community
workshop. She told the approximately 50 people in attendance about the Largo Community Center, a facility that Wannemacher designed primarily for a senior population, which could serve as a model for the Longboat Key facility. Every day that community center comes alive with activities such as Wii tournaments,
line dancing, card games and art classes. Residents had their suggestions, as well. One resident wanted an area for coffee. Wannemacher said that a kitchenette was a possibility for the proposed rooftop terrace.
SEE PARK / PAGE 2A
INDEX Bridge Bites....... 11B Briefs....................4A
Calendar............ 14A Classifieds ........ 13B
Cops Corner....... 12A Crossword.......... 12B
Opinion.................8A Weather............. 12B
Vol. 34, No. 26 | Three sections YourObserver.com