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Warm Mineral Springs Park to be conserved and restored: 'Everyone gets to win'

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Published  September 12, 2024 4:13pm EDT
North Port
FOX 13 News

Protections for Warm Mineral Springs Park

Kimberly Kuizon reports

NORTH PORT, Fla. - For decades, North Port’s Warm Mineral Springs has been a beacon for visitors with its year-round temperature of 87 degrees and mineral packed water. 

"After well over a decade of neglect, we have finally figured out a direction here and made some hard decisions," said North Port Vice Mayor Phil Stokes. 

Talks of development had once been on the table, which brought an outcry from residents and park users. North Port city commissioners voted unanimously this week to restore the historic buildings and implement a conservation easement. 

RELATED: Warm Mineral Springs Park to see $9M in improvements

Stokes said it’s a legacy decision. 

"We are really excited, as is our citizens who have supported the springs for so long," said Stokes. "In fact, I give them kudos because, for quite a number of years, they have been persistent in trying to impress upon city leadership the need to keep low impact and keep the mineral springs a park like environment."

The City of North Port has $9 million to spend on the property. It’ll go toward restoring the admission building, turning the former spa building into an open air pavilion and sealing up the Cyclorama building for future restoration. 

The city will work with the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to bring about the conservation easement. They will also look into possibly bringing a botanical garden or small spa to the park. 

READ: Sarasota residents cleaning up following historic flood from Debby: 'I have to start at zero'

"We can fix up the 20 acres, bring partners in who can help us do a low impact park like amenities package on the 60, and it doesn’t reach into the taxpayers' pockets to maintain it, then I think it’s a good thing and everyone gets to win," said Stokes. 

For visitors like Galina Etlin, that’s what she wanted to hear. 

"I am very excited. We moved here for this lake from Jacksonville, Florida. We like this place," said Etlin. 

Warm Mineral Springs Park will stay as it has, with improvements to last a lifetime. 

"It feels good, this is already for our age. It’s relaxing. It’s everything," said Etlin. 

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