BRADENTON -- The Bradentown Downtown Development Authority on Tuesday set aside another $145,000 for the new Riverwalk, including $70,000 in seed money for a three-month grand opening effort that will kick off with the Bradenton Blues Festival in October 2012.
The grand opening seed money includes $35,000 for the festival and another $35,000 to be doled out to dozens of community groups that are already lining up to hold events from October to December of next year. They’ll all be part of an effort to draw the public not only to the 1.5-mile, $6.2 million Riverwalk, but to all of downtown Bradenton, said Johnette Isham, executive director of Realize Bradenton, which is coordinating the grand opening.
“We’ll be building community and making connections to make sure there’s something for everyone,” Isham said. “We’re really going to use the grand opening as a connector piece to build the interest and vibrancy of downtown Bradenton.”
Some of the 40-plus events already being considered for the grand opening will even extend to Village of the Arts, Bradenton’s arts enclave to the southeast of downtown.
Activities already in the planning pipeline include concerts, fishing tournaments, art walks, wellness-focused activities, dog runs, fitness runs, sand volleyball tournaments and water activities of all kinds, including dragonboat racing, canoeing and kayaking, said Dave Gustafson, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority.
“This is something we need to get our hands around,” Gustafson said. “People are coming through my door all the time saying, ‘I’ve got an event.’ ”
Some organizations already involved include the South Florida Museum, Manatee Players, DeSoto Historical Foundation, ArtCenter Manatee, Pittsburgh Pirates/Bradenton Marauders, Manatee Memorial Hospital, Renaissance on 9th, United Way, public health department, public school district and several senior living facilities located downtown.
Other groups interested in joining the grand opening effort are encouraged to contact Isham at johnette@realizebradenton.com. Organizers hope to complete planning by March 2012 so the full effort can be effectively publicized.
While the authority agreed to commit $70,000 toward the grand opening effort, it still needs to review and approve a detailed budget and has the prerogative to trim its initial commitment.
For example, authority member Tom Seguin said, it’s possible the blues festival may not need the $35,000 set aside for its seed money if ticket sales and sponsorship recruitment raise enough money.
The remaining $75,000 committed to the Riverwalk Tuesday is for security. Authority members anticipate spending even more once it finishes researching exactly what kind of security system will be installed. Options being considered include a staffed on-site station, surveillance tapes or a remotely controlled system.
“We’re spending a lot of energy and dollars on the Riverwalk, and we want people to feel safe,” said Kerry Ward, the newest authority member.
All $145,000 comes from the authority’s discretionary funds, which consist of money carried over from last year’s budget.
Christine Hawes, Herald business writer, can be reached at (941) 745-7081.
