NEWS RELEASES
Camping Facilities Cut From Warm Mineral Springs Master Plan
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through The Herald-Tribune's website.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - The Herald-Tribune of Sarasota, FL, reports that, following a meeting for public comment, the North Port City Commission cut plans for campsites and cabins, as well as horseback trails, from the Master Plan for the 60 plus acres of park property surrounding the 21-acre Warm Mineral Springs Park attraction owned by the city. The plan also calls for a cafe, walking trails, an event pavilion, community garden, bird watching area and an indigenous peoples historical exhibit, as well as two observation towers joined by a boardwalk elevated above the tree canopy. An on-site spa and tiered cyclorama with murals telling of Juan Ponce de Leon’s exploration of Florida, housed in three historic buildings dating from the 1959 Florida Quadricentennial celebration, will be renovated as part of the plan.
The only warm water mineral spring in the State of Florida, the springs, which remain at 86 degrees year-round, have been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977 as an archaeological site due to the discovery of 10,000 year old human and animal remains. Many believe this is the Fountain of Youth sought by Ponce de Leon. The spring water contains more than 50 minerals, the highest mineral content of any natural spring in the United States, and is renowned for its health and wellness benefits. Passes to swim in the warm water are available year-round.
For more information, visit the Warm Mineral Springs website.