Temporary closure of two parks scheduled as part of transition plan
Tennis players and other community members will have a chance to meet the new employees at the Payne Park Tennis Center as the City of Sarasota prepares to take back the operations and maintenance of that center, the city announced this week.
The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Payne Park Auditorium, which is located at 2100 Laurel St., a news release. The public will have the opportunity to share comments about improvements to the facility, courts and operations, along with other suggestions about how to enhance the tennis center, the release adds.
Beginning Oct. 1, five city parks and recreation facilities that have been maintained and operated by Sarasota County through an interlocal agreement will return to the city as that agreement expires, the release explains. The five facilities are Arlington Park and Aquatic Facility, Centennial Park and Boat Ramp, Ken Thompson Park, the Lawn Bowling Facility and Payne Park Tennis Center.
As part of that transition, Payne Park Tennis Center will be closed from Sept. 24-26, and Arlington Park and Aquatic Facility will be closed from Sept. 24-30, the release points out.
“Our team has a lot of work to do as part of this coordinated transition, including hiring and training new personnel, moving in new equipment, setting up phones and computers and deep-cleaning the facilities, along with other numerous items to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for our citizens,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Fogle in the release. “We look forward to reopening, getting to know our patrons and hearing about how we can best serve them,” Fogle added in the release.