Sarasota's Bayfront Park getting new playground and splash pad

The city of Sarasota is replacing the Allen Playground and Steigerwalt-Jockey Children’s Fountain at Bayfront Park with new structures.  

Unlike the previous children’s fountain, with a concrete stadium seating design, the new splash pad, playground and parent/guardian seating will be on the same level, in a combined space and will be ADA compatible. The new splash pad will have buttons children can press to turn on the water, reducing maintenance issues created by the constantly running water in the previous children’s fountain. 

The unique playground will have a pirate shipwreck theme, complete with a Kraken, climbing features, lighting and shade structures.  

Two invasive laurel ficus trees were removed during construction and will be replaced with three oak trees. The new design will also include shade structures in both the play and seating areas. The unified play area will be surrounded by a fence.   

The $3 million project is expected to be completed in October.