South Lido Park

South Lido Park. . , Side 1 , Otto Schmidt Zoldan, a pioneer, settled on the southern tip of this key and in 1904 applied for a homestead. His claim, granted in 1910, included much of the land which became South Lido Park. Once known as Sarasota Key, the island was renamed Lido Key as part the 1920s Ringling Isles development. The project created modern Lido Key from several small islands enhanced by millions of cubic yards of fill. Neither Ringling nor subsequent owners commercialized this fragile point. In 1974 the property was acquired after referendum by the County of Sarasota, and this park was established. , , Side 2 , South Lido Park consists of one hundred acres containing a variety of coastal habitats influenced by the Gulf of Mexico, Big Sarasota Pass, Sarasota Bay, and Brushy Bayou. Park goals are to maintain an environmentally sensitive area and open space to serve the passive recreation needs of county residents and visitors. Park users may enjoy bathing in the waters of the Gulf and Pass, and picnicking and hiking in the wooded areas. Bird watching and canoeing may be enjoyed near the center of the park at Brushy Bayou, a dynamic estuarine environment of unusual diversity.