Sunday Favorites: Glazier-Gates Landswap is History Repeating Itself

BRADENTON – History has a way of repeating itself, but in Florida it happens a little more frequently. The Glazier-Gates land swap deal is reminiscent of another deal executed by a neighboring city, one where officials traded public ball fields for the construction of a school in Palmetto. Back then it was the community, not the bargaining entities, that lost out in the end.

This week, the Bradenton City Council tabled a vote on proposed plans to develop a 521-unit residential complex on what is currently Glazier-Gates Park, one of the largest and oldest city parks in Bradenton.

Located in the heart of the historic Town of Manatee on 10th Street East in Bradenton, the park is shaded by giant oaks and includes a basketball court, playground equipment and picturesque views of the Manatee River.

Founding fathers Josiah Gates and Ezekiel Glazier built their homes in the vicinity of the park in 1841 and 1844. The park is also near the Manatee Mineral Spring, which provided Manatee residents (aborigines included) with water and refreshment for centuries.

Josiah Gates is considered Manatee’s first white settler. Born in South Carolina and orphaned early in life, Gates was adopted by William Chaires, who later became one of the founders of Jacksonville. Gates and his family came to the Manatee River area in 1841-1842 with Surveyor Sam Reid. Gates became the founder and supporter of the Town of Manatee; his children became doctors and leaders in the community. He died in December of 1924.

Ezekiel Glazier was also an influential founder. One of the area’s first postmasters, he delivered mail by boat to the Town of Manatee.

While the park has always been known for its shady, family friendly atmosphere and historic relevance, most recently it’s been prized for its proximity to Riverwalk. NDC Construction Co. and Atlanta developer Hatfield Development Co., want to replace the park with a complex called Villages at Riverwalk.

In exchange for developing the park, the businesses are offering to give the city property on Riverside Drive East for a new and improved Glazier-Gates Park, just north of the current location at the 1000 block of Manatee Avenue East, in return.

Aside from its historical value and regular use by area residents, opponents of the plan name the park's historic location and age as the primary reasons for their argument that the land swap is inequitable. They say it would take years for newly planted trees to shade an entire park, and shade is a priceless commodity in the Florida heat.

Just blocks from the current Gates-Glazier Park, the Manatee Mineral Spring still exists on the corner of 14th Street East and 2nd Ave East. However, records indicate the city paved over it sometime in the 1980s. Reflections of Manatee now own the property, and had recently had plans to resurrect the spring, with hopes passersby could enjoy it and appreciate its historic value.

But maybe the most compelling reason why the City of Bradenton should be hesitant in approving the land swap is because of more recent history. A similar scenario happened in Palmetto less than a decade ago.

Rewind back to the early 2000s, when teachers and students were complaining of health issues due to mold in the old Palmetto Elementary School. Parents deemed the issue ”sick school syndrome,“ a label that was quickly picked up by media outlets.

In 2006, the district did a mold cleanup, but started looking seriously at a permanent fix. The whole school needed to be rebuilt, and the school district decided there was not enough room on the existing plot of land.

The only logical place the school could be moved whilst still serving residents in same proximity was parkland at 1600 10th St W. The land was city-owned, and two other organizations, Just for Girls and the Palmetto Boys and Girls Club leased the property, while the county maintained the fields.

However, somewhere along the lines, it became evident that the land swap was inequitable. Not only was the cost associated with the relocations substantially more expensive than previously expected, but there was not enough room at the site for all four proposed fields, without relocating 23rd Street, a meandering street adjacent to the park.

Manatee Fruit Company donated land bordering Blackstone Park in exchange for impact fee relief, but the deed didn’t address the funding issue.

The North River American Little League had been under the impression that the fields would be relocated before construction of the new school commenced.

While the Boys and Girls Club received 1.6 acres near their original location, the Little League was left in limbo.

Finally after four years and countless meetings on the subject, the fields were constructed with some variation so they fit the space allotted. Funding came from the county, the city and the Pittsburgh Pirates; the school board, then amid a major scandal and multi-million dollar deficit, did not contribute.

History simply cannot be replaced. And a park’s real value to a community, especially one with so much historical significance, cannot be quantified. Offering to move the park is a nice gesture, but in the end does not make up for the potential impact the original park’s loss would have.

City leaders must take their time with this decision. They must study history, and weigh the benefits of both decisions. As public access to the waterfront becomes more and more valuable, and less and less available, they may make a decision they cannot overturn, and regret for generations to come.