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Did you know that more than 40% of adults in the United States suffer from obesity? Unfortunately, there is no miracle cure for this condition. Perhaps worse is that more and more adults and children are gaining weight across the country, choosing the convenience of fast and nutrition-deficient foods over healthy eating, exercise, and positive life choices. From an aesthetic standpoint, being overweight is a struggle - clothes don't fit right, people make uncomfortable comments about how you look, and everyday activities are less appealing.
From a health and wellness standpoint, however, being obese is much worse. Your life is literally on the line. The people who love you and depend on you to be in their lives could lose you sooner than you expect. With time, you have a higher chance of suffering from significant, life-changing issues such as:
While obesity is a serious problem, a new medication on the market is giving hope to millions of men and women across the U.S. This game-changing treatment is called Semaglutide in Warm Mineral Springs, FL. This anti-obesity medication is unique because it treats obesity as a chronic metabolic disease, rather than a problem that can be solved through sheer willpower. The best part? Semaglutide and other medical weight-loss peptides are now available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
At Global Life Rejuvenation, we understand that losing weight is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our medical weight loss clinic offers custom medical weight loss plans tailored to your body, rather than plans based solely on your age or weight. In fact, our team of doctors and practitioners provides personalized guidance to help you achieve real results and live a healthier life.
Because the truth is maintaining good health and fitness are crucial in the modern world. Research has shown that viruses and diseases are more likely to affect those who are overweight and unhealthy. At Global Life Rejuvenation, we take a comprehensive, custom approach to medical weight loss that includes peptide therapy and more. We then work with you to make positive lifestyle changes, so you can lose weight, get healthy, and boost your wellbeing permanently - not for a few weeks or months.
If you're ready to get back to loving your life with more energy, confidence, and positivity, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may be for you. But to truly understand the benefits of peptides like Semaglutide, it's important you grasp what peptide therapy is and how it benefits your body.
Many individuals turn to peptide therapy to enhance their overall wellbeing by boosting hormones. Different types of peptides can target different areas of health, such as collagen peptides that can help improve skin, hair, and gut health.
Other peptides, such as AOD 9604, CJC 1295, and Semaglutide in Warm Mineral Springs, FL, are incredibly beneficial for losing weight. Compared to vitamin supplements, peptide therapy works differently as peptides are already part of the proteins in our bodies, making them easier to absorb and benefit from. Conversely, our bodies can sometimes fail to absorb all the nutrients present in multivitamins, leading to their excretion through urine.
However, it's important to note that weight loss is a complex process that involves various factors like age, genetics, lifestyle, exercise, and diet. While peptides like Semaglutide can provide much-needed assistance in achieving your weight loss goals, they are most effective when combined with healthy dietary choices, regular exercise routines, and overall healthier lifestyle choices.
If you've already tried different weight loss plans and diets but haven't had any success, medical weight loss with peptide therapy may provide that extra boost you need to realize your goals.
If you're looking to lose weight and keep it off, diet and exercise are important, but it can be difficult to stick to a routine. For busy adults and parents, Semaglutide can be a helpful tool for weight loss. This injection, approved by the FDA for diabetes and obesity, works by stimulating GLP-1 receptors in the brain to aid in weight loss and improve long-term health.
You may be wondering to yourself, "That sounds great, but how does this type of peptide work?" Semaglutide acts like glucagon in your body, which signals to your brain that you're full and don't need to eat anymore. When you take Semaglutide, and you try to overeat, your body waves a proverbial red flag as if to say, "That's enough."
Semaglutide also slows down digestion, reducing unnecessary snacking throughout the day. By reducing glucose spikes after meals, it reduces inflammation, which is important for overall health. Additionally, Semaglutide helps your pancreas secrete insulin, regulates the glucose levels in your body, and even has anti-aging and longevity properties. If you're struggling to lose weight, peptide therapies for weight loss like Semaglutide can be an invaluable addition to your weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation.
When combined with healthy lifestyle choices like diet and exercise, Semaglutide can help provide:
There are multiple medications available to combat obesity by suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss. However, Semaglutide stands out as an exceptional option.
A recent study of 2,000 obese adults examined the effects of Semaglutide when combined with a diet and exercise program. The results were compared to those who only made lifestyle changes without taking Semaglutide. After 68 weeks, it was found that half of the participants using Semaglutide lost 15% of their body weight, with nearly a third losing 20%. In contrast, those who only made lifestyle changes lost an average of 2.4% of their weight.
It's obvious, then, that Semaglutide is a safe and effective supplement for your weight loss journey with Global Life Rejuvenation. But who is the ideal patient who should be taking it?
If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 27kg/m2 or higher and at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, or if your BMI is 30kg/m2 or higher, the FDA recommends Semaglutide for weight loss.
As medical weight loss experts, one thing our doctors and practitioners know at Global Life Rejuvenation is that true weight loss isn't dictated by medicines. It's achieved by sticking to a combo of exercise, healthy life choices, and healthy eating habits. From there, peptides like Semaglutide in Warm Mineral Springs, FL are great for taking your weight loss efforts to the next level of success.
One area where many patients fail in this process is with their diet. If you're considering Semaglutide treatment, keep these diet tips in mind.
To enhance your dietary habits, a practical approach is to concentrate on consuming whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. These food items are rich in nutrients and can provide a feeling of fullness and satisfaction while also promoting your overall wellbeing.
Eating mindfully involves being fully present and engaged during meals. This entails taking the time to enjoy the flavor of your food, being aware of your body's hunger and fullness signals, and avoiding distractions like electronics or television.
To maintain good health and support weight loss, it's crucial to drink plenty of water. It's recommended to drink at least 8-10 cups of water daily. You may also try adding low-calorie drinks like herbal tea or infused water to keep things interesting.
Planning your meals in advance is an effective approach to maintaining a healthy diet. Set aside some time each week to plan your meals and snacks, keeping in mind to incorporate a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This will prevent impulsive food choices and guarantee that you have nutritious options available when hunger strikes.
Unlike many medical weight loss clinics, which only offer cookie-cutter weight loss plans and one or two additional fat-busting solutions, Global Life Rejuvenation provides access to new, innovative supplements and medicines. If you're used to fad diets and "quick" weight loss plans, peptides like AOD 9604 and others may be new to you. To help build your foundation of healthy living knowledge, let's take a look at a few of the most popular weight-loss peptides and medicines available at Global Life Rejuvenation.
Often combined with Semaglutide regimens, AOD 9604 is known to promote fat breakdown, inhibit lipogenesis, and support tendons and cartilage. However, most recently, it has gained popularity due to its ability to boost metabolism and aid in burning fat.
What sets AOD 9604 apart is that it stimulates the pituitary gland without affecting tissue growth or blood sugar levels. Additionally, it can burn fat without causing overeating, making it a viable option for obese men and women who are trying to implement better eating habits.
Interestingly, AOD 9604 activates your body's fat-burning processes without requiring an HGH receptor. It also releases obese fat cells and reduces the accumulation of new fat cells. By helping to regulate blood sugar and manage insulin levels, AOD 9604 is excellent for weight loss but also for other maladies like inflammation.
Some conditions that this powerful peptide can help address include the following:
This medical weight loss supplement Is technically a combo of two peptides. These substances work by stimulating your pituitary gland to produce more of your body's natural human growth hormone, which is secreted during both waking and sleeping periods.
This results in increased protein synthesis and levels of insulin-like growth factors. As hormone secretagogues, they help release hormones into circulation while mimicking the pituitary gland's production. Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin. As a tool for medical weight loss, it has shown very promising results.
That's because when growth hormone levels increase, nutrients are transported through the body faster, more fat is burned, and weight management becomes simpler. Additionally, because CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin increase the amount of growth hormone in your body, it stimulates the breakdown of triglycerides in adipocytes, leading to improved fat metabolism and reduced abdominal fat.
Benefits of CJC 1295 and Ipamorelin for weight loss include:
A Methionine Inositol Choline (MIC) injection is a mixture of lipotropics that aid in fat breakdown. The key components - methionine, inositol, and choline - work together to metabolize fat cells and eliminate stored fat deposits in the liver and body. Methionine is an important amino acid, inositol contributes to proper cell formation, and choline is a water-soluble nutrient that promotes healthy liver function. When combined, these compounds may help reduce body fat.
When used in conjunction with a medical weight loss plan from Global Life Rejuvenation, MIC injections can be a powerful addition to reclaiming your health and wellbeing.
Request AppointmentLike other weight loss peptides and medicines on this page, Phentermine can help you lose weight when you stick to a medical weight loss plan that includes dieting, exercise, and smart life choices. It does so by reducing your appetite, which limits the number of calories you eat every day.
As is the case with Semaglutide, Phentermine has been approved by the FDA and is supported by clinical studies that show it can support weight loss. With time, patience, and healthy living, this supplement may help you reach your wellness goals sooner than you thought possible.
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In the body, 7-keto-DHEA is produced from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is a hormone made by glands near your kidneys. However, unlike DHEA, 7-keto-DHEA is not converted into androgen and estrogen in your body. Instead, 7-keto-DHEA is used orally or topically to boost your body's metabolism. It also helps convert more of your energy into heat, instead of storing it in your body as fat, which can accumulate with time and lifestyle choices.
Much like Semaglutide treatment in Warm Mineral Springs, FL, 7-keto-DHEA has been shown to be very effective for weight loss as well as a host of other issues. Additional benefits of taking 7-keto-DHEA may include the following:
Have you tried everything under the sun to try and eliminate the cellulite on your legs, arms, and other areas of your body? If you're like most people, getting rid of cellulite isn't just difficult - it's nearly impossible. Fortunately, those days are over. Lipo Sculpt Cream from Global Life Rejuvenation can help reduce the unsightly appearance of cellulite while also refining your figure and firming up your skin.
The active ingredients in this product have the ability to reduce and prevent the growth of fatty tissue while also improving microcirculation. They work together to treat both adipose and aqueous cellulite, and aid in the elimination of fatty deposits and excess water stored in the tissues. This results in a reduction of dimples and an overall improvement in the appearance of your skin.
If you have experienced success with a medical weight loss plan and reached your target weight but still suffer from cellulite, Lipo Sculpt Cream is a fantastic choice to consider. A few of the most common benefits include:
Are you craving a productive life at a healthy weight? Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in your life and the lives of your loved ones? The pathway to wellbeing starts by contacting our office for an in-depth consultation, where we'll learn more about your weight-loss goals and needs.
From there, we'll create a custom weight-loss plan tailored to your body. This plan will map out the steps of your weight-loss journey, including peptide therapies like Semaglutide in Warm Mineral Springs, FL. Though every person's weight management goals are different, when you're a patient at Global Life Rejuvenation, you benefit from dedicated doctors and practitioners committed to improving your weight and, in turn, your health.
Whether your health is on the line, or you don't like how being overweight makes you look and feel, our team is ready to guide you toward long-term health and happiness. This way, you can get healthy, stay in shape, and fall in love with your newfound body.
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It’s worth noting when Florida is in the news for contributions to human knowledge and not — to draw an example at random — one of its citizens throwing an alligator through a Wendy’s drive-through window.In that vein, let’s turn our attention to the small Florida town of North Port, where a sinkhole formed 20,000 years ago continues t...
It’s worth noting when Florida is in the news for contributions to human knowledge and not — to draw an example at random — one of its citizens throwing an alligator through a Wendy’s drive-through window.
In that vein, let’s turn our attention to the small Florida town of North Port, where a sinkhole formed 20,000 years ago continues to offer up clues to North America’s deeply buried prehistoric past.
Warm Mineral Springs, as the site is known, is an oddity even by Florida’s generous standards. Local legend holds that Ponce de Leon identified the spring as his sought-after Fountain of Youth. Before the conquistadors arrived, Native Americans held the site in high regard.
Hundreds of years later, a group of vacationing Ukrainian tourists, wooed by the mineral-rich waters, put down roots and invited family over to stay. Now North Port has five Ukrainian churches and a slew of Ukrainian restaurants to serve its 10 percent Eastern European population.
Between the Spanish explorers and Ukrainian soakers, retired WWII Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and diving enthusiast William R. Royal discovered a human skull with a strange soapy substance clinging to it. He immediately assumed it was ancient brain matter preserved, somehow, by the spring’s mysterious waters.
Royal, who’d later spend his twilight years searching for Atlantis off the Florida coast, also found a human thigh bone and the remains of ice-age animals like giant sloths, saber-toothed tigers, and camels. Based on a timeline of when sea levels would have been low enough for the sinkhole to be above water, Royal speculated that the human remains were at least 6,000 years old.
This was 1959, and the scientific community “poured cold water over his bold claims,” Barbara Purdy, author of The Art and Archaeology of Florida’s Wetlands, shared with Smithsonian Magazine. But eventual testing of the skull and strange substance revealed a surprise: Royal was right.
The skull was 7,000 years old, and the mysterious substance was indeed brain matter, preserved by anaerobic conditions at the bottom of the 76-meter-deep sinkhole.
Further excavation of the site in the 1970s uncovered a complete human skeleton, a find that turned out to be “dated to more than 11,900…years ago, making it the oldest human remains in the Western Hemisphere,” Purdy told Smithsonian Magazine.
Also found in the sinkhole: glass bottles from the 1930s, an entire Model-T automobile, and a 78-rpm phonograph record.
Seventy percent of Warm Mineral Springs has yet to be explored. The unexcavated areas likely include human artifacts and more late-Pleistocene megafauna remains. The Springs are on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, but that isn’t stopping the city of North Port from considering further development at the site.
A proposal for a 300-room resort has raised hackles in the Sunshine State. While many North Port residents take umbrage at the thought of tourists flocking to their haven like manatees to seagrass, scientists hope that whatever happens, the potential for research remains undisturbed.
“The city has been [a] good steward of the underwater archaeology by restricting diver access,” said Sarasota County Archaeologist Steve Koski in an interview. “Warm Mineral Springs should not be open for commercial tour dives or access without sound professional academic research…There is still great potential for research. There are likely more undisturbed human remains…and evidence of activities of the people who visited the site.”
The commission’s direction to city staff did not sit well with many residents who spoke out at the meeting.A large majority of North Port residents don’t want to see high-intensity development on the roughly 80 acres that Warm Mineral Springs sits on, according to new survey results.Despite the recent findings, the North Port City Commission during a Monday workshop...
A large majority of North Port residents don’t want to see high-intensity development on the roughly 80 acres that Warm Mineral Springs sits on, according to new survey results.
Despite the recent findings, the North Port City Commission during a Monday workshop pushed city staff to continue discussions with Warm Mineral Springs (WMS) Development Group LLC, which has proposed developing the site of Florida's only hot spring with a hotel, eco lodges, residential housing, and more.
The commission is also urging staff to move toward a medium-intensity development for the land to meet the standards for the WMS Development Group proposal and its potential public-private partnership (P3).
“We have a friendly potential P3 partner here who loves this property, who none of you have gotten to know yet, who I believe can help work with our staff in our city to figure out a way to take that entire area and turn it into a viable partnership that can be economically viable for them and environmentally and conservational-sustainable for the 80 acres,” said city commissioner Phil Stokes.
The commission’s direction to city staff did not sit well with many residents who spoke out at Monday’s meeting.
“You're still going to do what you want to do,” said resident David Iannotti, who has been speaking out against larger developments on Warm Mineral Springs for months. “You aren't representatives at all — you're an embarrassment. That's what you are. Because reason and evidence and proof, no matter how much everybody brings to you, you just turn it around."
This comes as WMS Development Group presented its second version of its vision revamping the property, which officials from the group say is more in line with what environmentalists and community members have voiced in recent months.
The survey, which was conducted by the third party ETC Institute, found that over 90% of respondents support “low-intensity development” for the spring, which is defined in the survey as “gardens, trails, parks, playgrounds, and outdoor recreation.”
Meanwhile, 65% support “medium-intensity development,” which includes a broader scale of activities, including “museums, wellness center, restaurants boutique retailers, and professional offices.”
It also shows 90% are against “high-intensity development,” which includes the maximum amount of development for the land, allowing resort facilities and residential units.
For the past year, the North Port City Commission has been in discussion with Warm Mineral Springs Development Group LLC in forming a public-private partnership.
In its initial proposal, the group proposed a development that included a 250-room resort, 300 residential units, a wellness center, restaurant, and more.
The revised version of the plan reduces the number of rooms for hotel stays from 250 to 200, while also restricting the height of the hotel to two stories. Fifty of the 200 units will be “eco-cabins.”
North Port resident Robin San Vicente
The new plan also includes an indigenous village and museum, and amphitheater, food truck park, a restaurant, 36-hole putting course, and expanded parking. It also installs some low-impact developments, such as an urban garden, citrus groves, a new trail connection, and a ropes course.
There is also an increased buffer zone of 100 feet that was implemented in the design to keep development further away from the spring and the roughly 20 acres that it sits on.
During the presentation, the developers brought in Hank Fishkind of Fishkind Litigation Services, who noted that based on the latest development plan, it would be considered a “low-intensity development.”
Despite the detailed presentation from the developer, North Port residents were not pleased with the revised results.
“You just disregard that survey, then you just keep bombarding the Warm Mineral Springs community, like they don't even exist,” said resident Robin San Vicente, who used to work at the springs when it was privately owned.
“You really want to do something good for the community? Do it somewhere else. It's a beautiful plan, but not at the springs.”
Some of the concerns from residents and environmentalists stem from the impact that it will have on the spring quality, and also the surrounding wildlife.
Apart from an offshoot of the spring being a warm-water refuge for manatees, a wildlife study conducted on the property found there are over 100 burrows that house gopher tortoises, the eastern indigo snake, gopher frog, and the Florida burrowing owl.
The ETC survey also asked how North Port residents would like to see the improvements made, with 82% of respondents saying they would support property tax proceeds or other tax-generated revenue used to improve the property.
Nearly 90% said they would support a “phased improvement,” where the revenue generated from the park would help rebuild the park over time, while nearly 60% said they would be in favor of using property taxes of a tax supported bond issue to fund the rehabilitation.
"While I certainly respect people saying they're willing to use tax revenues on the property, I'd like you all to sit with me when we had that discussion of increasing the millage rate by one and a quarter point. I think we'll hear a very, very different tune."North Port Mayor Barbara Langdon,
Multiple city commissioners said making the fixes in phases would be an ineffective method.
"Using the $300,000 positive revenue flow every year, that would take 25 years to accumulate that,” Commissioner Alice White said when talking about improving the utility systems. “And even if that were to be doubled, then you're talking about 12 years."
Several commissioners also brought up the desperate need the park has for getting better utility systems installed, which they said could improve the long-term health of the spring.
Mayor Barbara Langdon, who is in favor of the partnership, said she found it interesting how residents responded to the question of using tax revenue to implement changes to the park.
“While I certainly respect people saying they're willing to use tax revenues on the property, I'd like you all to sit with me when we had that discussion of increasing the millage rate by one and a quarter point,” Langdon said. “I think we'll hear a very, very different tune.”
Debbie McDowell was the sole commissioner who voiced outright disapproval of the WMS Development group plan during Monday’s meeting. She noted that the results for the survey were clear.
“I cannot agree to the hotels and the condos. I can't in good conscience. There are other ways,” McDowell said.
She suggested other avenues for developing a park, like partnering with a nature conservancy.
“Everybody talks about how this is going to be an economic driver,” McDowell said. “I swear preserving this and keeping it park is an economic driver, just as viable as what is being proposed.”
Commissioners voted down efforts that McDowell made to explore other avenues outside of the WMS Development group.
They also turned down potential plans to make it a state park, or to donate the land to Native American tribes.
The overwhelming support for low-impact development closely aligns with a 2019 master plan for the spring, where residents showed strong support for open-air activities being installed at the park.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - Warm Mineral Springs Park has remained closed since ...
NORTH PORT, Fla. - Warm Mineral Springs Park has remained closed since Hurricane Ian passed in September. The City of North Port is working to reopen as quickly as they can with many trying to come out to the park.
With 85 degree water year round, Warm Mineral Springs draws visitors from across the world. People come to the area to soak in its mineral rich water.
"We know how important this park is for so many in our community for their quality of life, their health," said Laura Ansel, the marketing and partnership manager for the City of North Port.
MORE: Local environmental groups help clear waterways of Hurricane Ian debris
Damage from Hurricane Ian shut the site down.
"The water quality was looking good. We passed the test on that front, there was some debris in the water that our dive team was able to help remove," said Ansel.
There is a lot of work to be done on the building that make up the park. Water damage and the air quality of the buildings remains a concern for the city.
"There's far too [much] mold in there for any human, so we need to work on clearing that out," Ansel said. "The electrical has taken a hit as well so that needs to be restored."
READ: DeSantis says Florida will provide $25M for hurricane victims after FEMA denied state's aid request
North Port is exploring two possibilities as it works toward reopening – having the city run operations itself or doing a long term lease with a public-private partnership, which would foot the bill for renovations.
Costs to fix the park are estimated at $18 million. The City of North Port has $9 million set aside, but would have to come up with additional funds.
As they work to reopen, they're looking at bringing in modular units to house operations.
"We will need to add some accessible sidewalks, we will need to run some electrical to that, and we will also need to bring in portable restroom units," said Ansel.
The City of North Port said they are working as quickly as they can to welcome guests back.
PREVIOUS: Tampa Bay Rays won’t go to Charlotte County spring training facility due to Hurricane Ian damages
"Our goal is to open as quickly and safely as we can so our visitors can get back to soaking in Warm Mineral Spring Park," said Ansel.
To learn more about the progress on Warm Mineral Springs Park, visit the City of North Port's webpage on Warm Mineral Springs Park.
NORTH PORT – It’s not a definitive city-wide referendum that some have been calling for on social media, but the city of North Port has launched an online survey where people can weigh in on whether it should partner with a private company to operate Warm Mineral Springs....
NORTH PORT – It’s not a definitive city-wide referendum that some have been calling for on social media, but the city of North Port has launched an online survey where people can weigh in on whether it should partner with a private company to operate Warm Mineral Springs.
The 26-question survey is being conducted by ETC Institute, an Olathe, Kansas-based firm that specializes in governmental market research and available online at NorthPortFL.gov/WMSPsurvey.
Warm Mineral Springs reopened to the public April 7 after being closed because of damage from Hurricane Ian.
While the park was closed, the city severed ties with its longtime vendor, National and State Park Concessions and decided to reopen the historic springs site on its own.
Admission to the park at 12200 San Servando Ave. is $8 for Sarasota County residents and $11 for non-county residents – with tour buses assessed at the $11 per person non-resident rate.
Welcoming back visitors:Warm Mineral Springs Park reopens in North Port
Springs history:Five things to know about Warm Mineral Springs in North Port, Florida
The 83-acre Warm Mineral Springs park includes a 21.6-acre site surrounding the springs and three buildings that date back to the Florida Quadricentennial Celebration are on the National Register of Historical Places and 61.4-acres of adjacent parkland.
Once thought to be the Fountain of Youth when it was discovered by explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, Warm Mineral Springs – an hourglass-shaped sinkhole primarily fed by an underground stream that pumps in 20 million gallons of 86 degree water per day.
Visitors, especially Eastern Europeans, believe the waters have healing properties.
The city had earmarked about $9 million to restore the three historic buildings, but after bids to perform the work came in at roughly $18 million, the commission opted to consider a private partner to complete the restoration.
Warm Mineral Springs Development Group LLC has proposed such a partnership, prompting public outcry, including during public comment and on social media for the city to put the question up for referendum.
The survey process will also include ETC Institute surveying a randomly selected sample of residents by mail.
The results will be compiled with the survey that, according to a city news release will “provide a written report of the general public and statistically valid findings, and ensure the City understands the community's needs and desires.”
Related:North Port commission to weigh more development for Warm Mineral Springs
In case you missed it:Architect Victor Lundy turns 100. See seven of his landmark Sarasota buildings
While not binding as a referendum would be, the survey process offers an opportunity for a more nuanced series of questions, such as:
• Whether one wants to use tax-generated revenue to pay for restoration or improvement of the park.
• Whether improvements should be paid for by a private partnership, tax supported bond issue or on a pay-as-you-go process.
• Whether the city should sell or transfer control over some or all of Warm Mineral Springs to another entity.
• What type of commercial amenities should exist at the park, such as a restaurant, spa, hotel, condominiums – or none at all.
• Whether a hotel, restaurant, spa or shopping would make the respondent visit more or less often.
• Whether they support low, medium or high intensity development at Warm Mineral Springs Park – or no development at all.
• Whether Warm Mineral Springs should be a revenue generating asset for the city of North Port.
If some of that sounds familiar, its because the city of North Port and consultant Kimley-Horn & Associate conducted a series of meetings in 2018 that resulted in the current plan that called for a low-intensity development of the park adjacent to Warm Mineral Springs.
Once the ETC Institute survey is complete, the city officials will bring it to the public at a series of community engagement meetings that will also include proposals for the next steps in the park’s future.
City Manager: 'We will in no way damage or move forward with hurting something so sacred as the springs just for the sake of a partnership.'NORTH PORT – North Port residents seeking to sway the City Commission from its plan to use a public-private partnership to reopen Warm Mineral Springs and eventually develop the 61.4-acre park that surrounds the historical attraction are trying to boost support for their cause, including rallies near City Hall and a change.org petition.The first rally occurred on a fr...
NORTH PORT – North Port residents seeking to sway the City Commission from its plan to use a public-private partnership to reopen Warm Mineral Springs and eventually develop the 61.4-acre park that surrounds the historical attraction are trying to boost support for their cause, including rallies near City Hall and a change.org petition.
The first rally occurred on a frigid Dec. 23 afternoon and a second one was slated for Dec. 30.
Meanwhile, following its decision to fire vendor National and State Park Concessions, the city is trying to hire as many as 10 seasonal and temporary employees to staff Warm Mineral Springs as it moves to reopen the attraction to the public in mid-March.
Related:Five things to know about Warm Mineral Springs in North Port, Florida
Related:North Port will reopen park itself after cutting contract with Warm Mineral Springs vendor
Park patrons who have been clamoring for Warm Mineral Springs to reopen soon would be happy if the city accomplished that and paused to reassess the prospect of a its development plan for potential condominiums and a hotel under a public-private partnership.
“I don’t really care who runs it as long as they run it in a responsible way,” said Joan San Lwin, a longtime park patron and co-sponsor, along with Theresa Pratt, of the change.org petition seeking to “stop overdevelopment and likely collapse of the Springs.”
As of Thursday night, 1,348 people had signed the petition. The rallies have been held at the intersection of Price and Sumter boulevards.
San Lwin said the petition was intended to raise public awareness and “hope that the commission would listen to the public and the commission to do what they need to do to keep the pristine nature of the springs intact.”
“The foremost objective has to be keeping the water as clean as it is and open to the public,” she added. “Fancy things like the massages and the facials I don’t care – bathrooms and running water and access to the springs are the three main things to me.”
Pratt, who experienced Warm Mineral Springs roughly 10 years ago, moved to North Port six years later so she could visit the springs – which are purported to have healing properties and have especially been popular with Eastern Europeans – as frequently as she wished.
“I, and many others, would just like to see the historic buildings restored and no building other than that. No building in the 61 acres" around the springs or on the 21 acres at the springs itself.
“To me that is sacred ground, that entire property,” she added. “I just feel it’s a shame that so much building is going on in Florida and there’s most probably burial grounds on the 61 acres.
“In my mind, to do any building on the 61 acres, I just feel it’s sacrilegious.”
Warm Mineral Springs is essentially limestone karst sinkhole likely created by those underground springs that bring in water that, early this century was as warm as 87 degrees but has since cooled to between 85 and 86 degrees.
Preservationists point to the fact that there have been no geotechnical surveys or hydrographic studies conducted to see if the ground in that 61.4 acres could support hotels or condominiums.
Faced with that uncertainty they predict catastrophe.
City Manager Jerome Fletcher says such studies would be conducted by the eventual private partner in a development deal.
Testing will be done on every level to ensure that the ground would support any development, he said.
If those tests uncovered potential problems, “then guess what? You can’t do what you thought you were going to do,” Fletcher said. “You’re going to have to pivot and go to different plans in order to make the partnership work.
“You’re not going to discount the environmental studies and the tests and say we’re going to move on and do it anyway – that’s not going to happen,” he added. “We will in no way damage or move forward with hurting something so sacred as the springs just for the sake of a partnership.”
The city cut ties with its longtime contract operator for Warm Mineral Springs to ease a transition to signing a public-private partnership with an entity that would both restore the three historic buildings on the 21.6-acre historic site and develop the surrounding park.
But prior to that partnership, the city is taking steps to reopen the park itself.
Earlier:North Port picks partner for Warm Mineral Springs park development. Here’s what’s planned
Related:Colliers to market two park sites in North Port for public-private development
Unlike in March 2014, when the deal with National and State Park Concessions was forged, North Port now has a fully functional parks and recreation department – including administrative staff and lifeguards who work at the North Port Aquatic Center.
“The team that we have now, Sandy Pfundheller, our director, she’s more than capable of managing the operations; it’s just a matter of resources,” Fletcher said.
In anticipation of reopening the park to bathers, the city is looking to hire 10 seasonal/temporary positions, including two full-time and three part-time lifeguards, one supervisor, one assistant supervisor and and three part-time attendants.
A city spokesperson said that the city’s aquatics manager would oversee supervisors at both facilities.
Costs would be paid from the $619,140 in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget for professional services related to management fees at Warm Mineral Springs.
Before Warm Mineral Springs can reopen, the city plans to get a modular admissions building and portable restrooms – facilities in high demand elsewhere after Hurricane Ian – and hire a general contractor to install Americans With Disabilities Act accessible walkways and hook up electricity.
Reopening updates are posted at https://www.northportfl.gov/warmminealpringspark where people can also sign up to receive email updates.
On Dec. 14, Fletcher signed an executive order that created a process for the city to either issue prorated refunds or extend passes that can be used when it reopened.
If it wasn’t for Hurricane Ian, National and State Park Concessions may have operated Warm Mineral Springs right up to the point that an eventual private partner took over – even though conditions had been deteriorating – with temporary facilities brought in for showers and restrooms.
Pratt said that didn’t matter to regular patrons.
“We didn’t have restrooms and locker rooms for years and people just dealt with the trailers, with the temporary toilets or changed in their cars,” she said. “Many people have said that ... they were happy to just change in their car and not even have the lockers.
“They’re just there for the water, the healing property of the springs and enjoying the water and being in nature,” she added.
But in the eyes of Fletcher and the city, those conditions were unacceptable. A pay-as-you-go plan to develop the entire parcel according to a plan crafted by Kimley-Horn & Associates was abandoned when the bids to restore three historic buildings on the 21.6-acre springs site came in at twice the $9.4 million set aside for the job.
Shortly after that the efforts to find a private partner began in earnest.
Warm Mineral Springs Development Group LLC made a pitch in September that would include restoration of the three historic buildings, built for the Florida Quadricentennial Celebration, which ran from December 1959 to March 1960 and are believed to be designed by Sarasota School of Architecture member Jack West.
It also included developing a variety of amenities on the 61.4 acres, including condominiums, a spa and a hotel – a move that would also put those amenities on the tax rolls.
Fletcher noted that while WMS Development Group is first in line, the city is nowhere near picking a partner.
An eventual partner would also host a series of public meetings, similar to those conducted when the Kimley-Horn park plan was crafted, to allow the public to have input on the proposal.
Earlier:North Port solicits input for Warm Mineral Springs master plan
Fletcher said that while many vocal current bathers may prefer the status quo, the city has a responsibility to clean and restore the springs site and do so in a way that does not burden the taxpayers and grow the overall tax base.
“There are 80,000 people in the city and the people who pay taxes in the city would say to all of us as government officials, 'we want you to do everything you can to spread the tax burden around as much as you can,'” Fletcher said. “So why would you not look at something that can be used to help do that?”
Pratt is not one of those people.
“I hope the city manager and the commission do right by the taxpayers and the springs and they stop this – they don’t go through with the" partnership plan, she said. “Let them do it somewhere else. I mean honestly I would rather have my property taxes go up than have the springs developed.”
