There are some places that seem to characterize a town or city, impacting the lives of visitors and residents in one way or another. People who visit these special spots remember them for a lifetime. Unfortunately, some of those locales that give the Tampa Bay Area its old Florida atmosphere are either closing, changing or have been completely wiped out. Today we will take a look at a few of my favorite places that are on the brink of extinction. A few have a chance to survive, while others have already been razed.
Council's Bradenton Recreation
Council's, a downtown pool hall and home of arguably the best burger in Bradenton, closed its doors this week after 90 years of business.
Council Smith took the place over in 1936, changing the name and eventually moving the location up one block near the Manatee County Courthouse. His son, Lawton Smith inherited the restaurant in the 1970s and has run it ever since. Now at retirement age, Lawton told the Bradenton Herald he made the hard decision to shut down because being there constantly was too hard on him. Lawton didn’t tell anyone he was closing, and regulars were shocked to see the "closed" sign hanging in the storefront.
The one-of-a- kind establishment is a pool hall/soda fountain reminiscent of the movie The Color of Money staring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. There are no table settings. Guests simply sit at the bar or plop down at a picnic table. Lawton was always behind the counter grilling up burgers which were served sans plate on a single white napkin. No fries came with the order; that would mean installing a deep fryer, but if somebody wanted a bag of chips, there were a variety of flavors to choose from.
Although the doors are shut there is still hope the local favorite will reopen under new management. Lawton is optimistic someone will buy his establishment and continue his legacy. Any takers?
Opening up in 1945 this campground on the Braden River is an old Florida haven for dead animals and experimental eaters. The campground features a restaurant full of stuffed critters that seem to stare at you while you dine. The taxidermy animals were all caught in the surrounding area, before subdivisions began popping up in East Bradenton and wild critters roamed the area.
On the menu is the famous "River Platter" featuring alligator, catfish and frog legs. On some nights, bands play Zydeco music on the open-air deck overlooking a river bend. The restaurant has been written about in magazines and publication all over the country. However, you should probably enjoy it while it lasts.
The campground, which had been on the market since 2013, was recently sold to a new owner who plans to replace it with an "upscale campground." Unfortunately, that most likely means the removal of all the old Florida paraphernalia and the end of an era for an eatery that's been a community staple for more than six decades.
Beach Road on Siesta Key
By far one of the most controversial locales on the list is known as Beach Road. The road was a public access street that allowed residents to access a span of beach on Siesta Key. However, county commissioners voted in favor of vacating the county's rights to the road and giving it to a few homeowners so they could raze and rebuild condos they own there.
In return, the developer agreed to allow a walkway for beachgoers to use in order to access the beach.
However, residents say the walkway is not enough and because it's technically owned by the developer, there is no real guarantee that the access for the public will be protected for future generation. Now they are currently suing the county over the measure which they claim goes against the county's own comp plan and takes away land from the public.
What can you do to prevent this from happening? Well you can sign a petition to stop the county from giving away the public land by visiting this site.
Glazier-Gates Park
This park located in East Bradenton at the old site of the Village of Manatee was one of the county's largest parks. Its most defining feature aside from the typical amenities like playground equipment and walking trails were the large live oaks that populated the campus.
This year, the city negotiated a landswap with developer and razed the park, along with all the trees. Residents were so upset that they held a memorial service for the trees following the event.
The developer has agreed to build a new park for residents with new state-of-the art equipment and amenities, but those opposed say it will lack one crucial convenience: shade.
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