This Bradenton park is getting a $1.7 million makeover. See the changes
The City of Bradenton is planning a significant renovation of Love Park, a neighborhood park dedicated to former Councilman Clarence Love Sr.
Some of the changes include new playground equipment, a basketball court, a gathering area and overall design changes to make the area safer, officials say. Bradenton’s Community Redevelopment Agency previously approved the park upgrade in January.
Love Park, which previously went through renovations in 2014, is located on the corner of 11th Avenue West and Second Street West.
According to CRA Executive Director Jeff Burton, Love Park is in disrepair and has attracted criminal activity. He said Bradenton’s Community Redevelopment Agency has planned to redevelop the park for the past year to remove blight, a core part of the CRA’s mission.
The CRA budgeted $1.7 million for the reconstruction of Love Park, with an additional $130,000 spent on design. Of the $1.7 million, $1.5 million is for construction, $85,000 is for a public art component and the rest is set aside for contingency, according to Burton.
“We’re very excited about this. This is like nothing you’ve seen before,” Burton told council members.
Bradenton’s Love Park gets a redesign
Applied Sciences, a Tampa-based engineering firm, designed the park with fresh elements like the “bamboo jungle,” a type of obstacle challenge for children to climb.
Near one of the entrances will be a covered gathering space. There will also be a half-court basketball court, a partial football field and on-street parking. The park’s design also utilizes artificial grass to cut down on future maintenance.
“This is a beautiful park, probably one of the best parks I’ve ever been a part of designing,” Burton said.
In addition to the enhanced equipment, the CRA worked with the Bradenton Police Department throughout the design process to incorporate a concept called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
CPTED includes safety elements like substantial lighting throughout the park, cameras and designed entrances and exits.
Park named after former councilman
According to Burton, the CRA is still working on the public art design component. The CRA engaged a public art consultant who is working with an architect and meeting with Love’s family, “to make sure that what is included in the park artistically aligns with the community and with the Love family’s ideas,” Burton said.
Love was the City of Bradenton’s first Black councilman and served from 1976 to 1980. He was also the first Black man to serve in an elected office in Manatee County, according to the Manatee County Public Library System.
During his time as a city councilman, Love was active in community redevelopment initiatives, including getting sidewalks and streetlights installed in some of Bradenton’s low-income communities, according to digital archives.
The last time Love Park received an upgrade was in 2014 when the Central CRA spent $53,000 to add some equipment to the park and repair the surrounding fence.
When the park reopened in May 2014, the city held a short ceremony to honor Love and the park renovations that included a new playground, more trees and shrubs, a drinking fountain, a new basketball court and new benches.
At the time, Love said he considered the park a culmination of his political career and, as a family man, said providing a safe environment was important to him.
What’s next for Love Park
Burton said the CRA hopes to begin construction as soon as possible.
“I wanted this done like seven months ago, but we also wanted it to be as thoughtful and layered with improvements as possible to get the most out of our dollars,” Burton said.
The CRA will advertise the project and Burton said the CRA hopes to begin construction by the end of the year. Construction is expected to last six to nine months.
