Venice FL Parks: Who Runs What and How Your Input Shapes the Plan

On Thursday, Oct. 1, the City of Venice took over full operation of seven parks and facilities that Sarasota County had run under an agreement dating back to 2011. On that list are the courts at Hecksher Park, the train playground at Legacy Park, the boat ramp at Higel Marine Park, and the ballrooms at the Venice Community Center. Venice Beach and Brohard Park are not on it. They stay with the County.

That split matters more this fall than usual. The City is also writing a Parks Master Plan, a 20-year roadmap for its parks, trails, natural areas and public spaces, and it is collecting public input through October. This is the first long-range plan the City will write for neighborhood parks it now operates itself. The surveys and workshops below are where that plan gets its priorities.

The line the agreement drew

The new interlocal agreement sorts parks into neighborhood parks and regional parks. Assistant City Manager Roger Omenhiser describes it as giving the City "greater local control of neighborhood parks and community facilities," while the County keeps investing in "regional destinations that serve residents throughout South Sarasota County." County materials say the same thing in their own terms: the County's role is regional parks, and moving non-regional parks back to Venice shaped the negotiations.

The day-to-day result looks like this:

Two details are easy to miss. Venetian Waterway Park is a 10-mile linear trail, about five miles on each side of the Intracoastal Waterway, and only the west side moved to the City. If you ride the full loop, you now pass from a City-run segment to a County-run one. The fenced Brohard Paw Park and dog beach also stay with the County, because they sit inside Brohard Park.

The handover itself added no new amenities. The question is what the City decides to do with these parks now that they are its own, and the first answer is already showing at the Community Center.

The Community Center shows what City control looks like

The City owns the Venice Community Center, but Sarasota County ran it for years under the old agreement. Rather than staff it directly, the City picked the Venice Institute for Performing Arts Management, a local nonprofit known as VIPAM, through a competitive request for proposals. City Council approved the agreement on June 23, 2026. It pays $280,000 a year for an initial five-year term, with two optional 24-month renewals. Omenhiser pointed to VIPAM's several years managing the Venice Performing Arts Center for Sarasota County Schools as the reason for the City's confidence.

The work is now split two ways. VIPAM handles scheduling and events, and the City's Public Works Department maintains the building in place of County crews. Michael Hartley, VIPAM's co-founder and board president, told Bay News 9 that the group plans to replace sound and lighting equipment he called decades old. VIPAM is also expanding its student apprenticeship program to help staff events. Its proposal also included food and beverage service, audio and lighting support, seasonal pricing, and more programming during off-peak periods.

If you're planning an event, here is what's posted on VeniceCommunityCenter.com and the City's facility page:

• Full Ballroom: four-hour minimum, booked at least 30 days ahead
• Ballrooms A through D: two-hour minimum, booked at least 14 days ahead
• Rooms E through G: one-hour minimum, booked at least seven days ahead
• Rentals: Georgia Peacock, [email protected] or 941-218-3779, ext. 111
• General questions: [email protected], with phone hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rental rates and reservation policies are still under review and may change, so confirm the price before you commit to a date. VIPAM also took over a long list of tentative reservations from the County. Omenhiser said the City is working with VIPAM to honor most, if not all, of them, but some people with dates after Oct. 1 may not have a confirmation yet. As of this week, the center's public site lists rooms and a reservation system but no fall event lineup.

Who to call now, and which listings are out of date

For the six outdoor parks, maintenance now falls to the City's Public Works Department. Its Parks Division handles the City's smaller parks and takes questions at 941-486-2422. Service requests go through SeeClickFix-Venice Connect.

Some City web pages haven't caught up yet. When we checked, the Hecksher Park and Venice Myakka River Park pages still said the County maintains them, and the Legacy Park page still sent shelter reservations to the County's 311 line at 941-861-5000. For shelter bookings, call the City first before relying on those pages.

Hecksher's court rules haven't been updated either. The posted guidance says courts are first-come, first-served, cannot be reserved, and are limited to one hour per game or match. No change has been announced since the handover. Any change would now be a City decision, and the master plan is one place where that kind of question can come up.

The October calendar for the Parks Master Plan

The plan covers nearly 40 City parks, trails, natural areas and public spaces. The survey asks how people use the parks today and what they'd like added or improved. WWSB reported that the City's consultants are reviewing population projections for the next 10 to 20 years to see whether current facilities will have enough capacity. The City also wants input from people outside city limits who use Venice parks regularly.

You can weigh in at four in-person sessions:

1. Friday, Oct. 16, 5 to 8 p.m.: City representatives at Sun Fiesta, Centennial Park, 200 W. Venice Ave.
2. Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Venice FL Farmers Market, Venice City Hall, 401 W. Venice Ave.
3. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Public workshop, Venice City Hall Community Hall, 401 W. Venice Ave.
4. Thursday, Oct. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Public workshop, same location

If you can't attend, the online survey is at bit.ly/VenicePMPSurvey. The City hasn't posted a closing date, so it makes sense to fill it out before the workshops end.

Wellfield Park, on the County side

The athletic fields are the other half of the agreement. Venice conveyed Wellfield Park to Sarasota County, which finalized the transfer on Oct. 30, 2025. The County now owns and operates it as a regional athletic park. The redevelopment funding agreement sets a $20 million City contribution and at least $20 million from the County, for a project of at least $40 million. A May 2025 County presentation called for design and permitting from spring 2026 to spring 2027 and phased construction starting in spring 2027. That timeline was a forecast, and no construction start has been confirmed. Pinebrook Park stays with the County as an extension of the Wellfield complex. The fields, the beach and the boat ramp at Marina Park all remain County decisions. The courts, kayak launches, playgrounds and the Community Center are now City decisions.

The new agreement runs for an initial 10 years starting Oct. 1, 2026. The 20-year master plan will guide the City-run parks through that whole term and beyond it.

If you're new to Venice, or getting to know the parks near a home you're considering, the split between City and County parks affects who you call and who sets the rules. Jeanne Egan is glad to go over how these parks fit into daily life in different parts of Venice and point you to the right contacts as the City settles in. Let's Connect.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.