The name of the park is a mouthful—Twin Rivers Preserve at Gamble Creek Waterfront Ecological Sanctuary—and reflects the fact that it sits at the confluence of Gamble Creek and the upper Manatee River, a protected estuary where fresh and saltwater come together.
“The Gamble Creek property made a lot of sense for environmental preservation,” says Drew Smith, executive vice president of Casto Lifestyle Properties, a national development company headquartered in Sarasota. “It’s a very unique habitat that had been threatened by development—and as good as we get with development in this day and age, there’s still impact that development has on the land.”
Another plus: The property abuts a major land acquisition that Manatee County has purchased for conservation. “It’s one additional piece of the jigsaw puzzle,” says Smith.
The deal was three years in the making. “These kinds of things don’t happen overnight because of all the different agencies that are involved,” says Smith. “The Army Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Commission, Department of Environmental Regulations; it’s quite a process.” Manatee County Commissioner Amy Stein told a local newspaper, “It probably is the most impressive conservation effort in any planned ‘suburban’ shoreline area in the state. It is a jewel.”
The Twin Rivers Preserve will not be an improved park facility; rather it is dedicated for passive conservation, Smith says.
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Posted By: Mary Pat Baxter of Casto
Great article about donation of Gamble Creek property to Manatee
County but not quite complete--would not have happened without
participation of original property owner, Gamble Creek, L.C. comprised of
CounTree Wide Realty (Larry D'Urso) and Heartland Group, who also donated
their interests in the land and the easement to the County together with
Casto!
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