Sarasota County officially breaks ground Friday, Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. at Woodmere Park on the $25 million Alligator Creek Stream Restoration Project. Over the next two years, crews will reshape roughly 2.3 miles of straightened canal into a natural, winding stream, using a natural channel design approach that stabilizes eroding banks and adds native plants along the corridor.
The funding is a mix of federal and local dollars. NOAA is providing a $14.5 million construction grant, while the remainder comes from the Penny Sales Tax and Stormwater Maintenance Assessments. The project is designed to cut nitrogen and nutrient pollution, reduce sediment, and restore natural water flow into the Lemon Bay watershed, which supports wildlife habitat and helps buffer the coast against storms.
Stormwater Director Ben Quartermaine called the groundbreaking an important investment in cleaner water, a healthier watershed, and greater coastal resiliency. Construction is expected to wrap by fall 2028, so Venice residents should expect equipment and activity along the creek corridor in the meantime.
What do you think: is restoring Alligator Creek a smart use of public funds, or should that money go elsewhere? Let us know in the comments.
