Does anyone here care about Warm Mineral Springs? (Sarasota, North Port: credit, closing)

[k9coach]

I'm quite dismayed about what has been going on with Warm Mineral Springs in North Port. Warm Mineral Springs

Are the local people still up in arms over this or have they largely given up on demanding that the Springs reopen to the public?

[photoman_6]

this post probably belongs in the port charlotte site, not sarasota-bradenton

[k9coach]

Maybe you're right. I seem to see North Port posters in both forums. Sarasota county and North Port own the Springs jointly, that's why I thought maybe the Sarasota forum was the place to post this.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Since Warm Mineral Springs is in Sarasota County I think this is the right place to post this.

I always post North Port posts in here because there is no North Point forum and it is in Sarasota County.

And, yes, I care about the Springs - when I first moved here 6 months ago I wanted to go there but I was a little hesitant because it costs so much money to go in there - why spend that much money when I can go to a beautiful FREE beach instead? They need to re-open it and lower the costs.

[TamRE]

There is a lot of controversy over Warm Mineral Springs. Here is a web site that was created since the closing - Warm Mineral Springs

Who knows when or if it will reopen.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Thanks TamRE - interesting website

[Californianz]

FWIW I never heard of it until now.

[leetchy2]

I discovered Warm Mineral Springs in May about 6 weeks before it closed. Cool place to visit a couple times but after a while it gets old going around in a circle all the time. Much rather go to the beach. To their credit they do spice things up with free water aerobics to music and had a nice cafe & spa. Most of the patrons are elderly and very European, not too many hot bodies there to ogle. Probably 80-90% don't speak English, and Russian is the most popular language it seems. I'm quite skeptical of the medical claims, think placebo effect and the lack of double-blind studies. I could see how the soft water could help skin issues like itching, eczema, and the like. But to claim the magic water cures arthritis, cancer, and so on I think are baseless folklore.

[k9coach]

Originally Posted by leetchy2

I discovered Warm Mineral Springs in May about 6 weeks before it closed. Cool place to visit a couple times but after a while it gets old going around in a circle all the time. Much rather go to the beach. To their credit they do spice things up with free water aerobics to music and had a nice cafe & spa. Most of the patrons are elderly and very European, not too many hot bodies there to ogle. Probably 80-90% don't speak English, and Russian is the most popular language it seems. I'm quite skeptical of the medical claims, think placebo effect and the lack of double-blind studies. I could see how the soft water could help skin issues like itching, eczema, and the like. But to claim the magic water cures arthritis, cancer, and so on I think are baseless folklore.

I happened to discover it right before it closed too. I can't even compare it to the beach, such a totally different experience. I enjoyed the drum circle, the water exercise classes, yoga on the grounds, and the organic fare restaurant on site. And I loved the atmosphere - mystical flute music playing in the background, all of the older Ukrainian and Russian patrons, the Adirondack chairs set up under weeping trees. I do believe the waters of the Spring healed my sunburn. I've never had a sunburn fade that quickly.

I'm pretty disgusted that this beautiful, natural place is now "closed" to the public. It sounds like the state of Florida usually runs its state parks quite well. If that is true, I think it might be best for Warm Mineral Springs to be turned over to the state to be run as a state park. Apparently Sarasota county and North Port can't handle ownership of this place.

Thanks to everyone for your responses so far!