Group pitches idea of small park

Members of city's Public Art Advisory Committee pitched the infant idea to city leaders Wednesday, looking for the go-ahead to begin talking to neighbors of the potential park to get comment.

The idea is to construct a landscaped park in the four blocks from Fourth to Eighth Street along Broad Avenue South with a way to link Naples Landing to its pier, said Sharon Kenny, chairwoman of the committee.

"We're talking about a beautifully landscaped area punctuated by sculpture," Kenny told the council.

Right now, the right of way is grass with a cracked sidewalk that hugs buildings that belong to the Village Green Condominiums.

The linear park would have curved walkways and perhaps a low bridge along with the landscaping and a few pieces of sculpture.

But council members said they first want to hear what neighbors have to say about the idea.

Most of the residents live there part time and won't be back for a month or so.

Council members were concerned that those residents might not want the traffic that such a park might bring to the area.

Council member Tamela Wiseman was first out of the box to criticize the idea.

"I don't like it as a concept," she said. "I've seen it in other places. ... I'm sure a lot of people like it, but to me it's clutter."

Wiseman said she'd prefer the landscaping without the art.

While council member Gary Galleberg had similar feelings, he was on board for exploring the idea.

"It should not be something rammed down people's throats," he said. "I would envision green space with some art versus art with some green space."

Those sentiments were echoed by Council Member Penny Taylor, whose take was "less is more."

And member Joe Herms wanted to be sure that galleries don't have all the say about what art might go in should the park become a reality.

Even with their reservations, the council members voted unanimously to allow Kenny to seek information from neighbors and return to them in February with a report.