The Gladys Douglas Preserve Signed And Celebrated

DUNEDIN, FL — The Gladys Douglas Preserve is officially a Pinellas County nature preserve.

Thanks to donors and public and private partners, the 44 acres, the largest single open space in Pinellas County, will forever be open space and belong to the people.

The city of Dunedin intends to connect the land, which will be called the Gladys E. Douglas Preserve, to an adjoining 55-acre lake, currently owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, to create a nearly 100-acre public park.

“To be able to do that in such a densely populated county like Pinellas is phenomenal,” said environmental activitist Nicole Mattheus, who led the movement to prevent development of the property and urged the city and county to purchase it. “We’re looking now to the future in how to do this again.”

Pinellas County and Dunedin city commissioners, activists and others were on hand Thursday night as Dunedin officials signed a deed to celebrate the city’s official purchase of the land for a public park.

Mayor Julie Ward Bujalski said this demonstrates what a community can achieve when it sets its mind to achieving a goal.

“This land is now owned by the people forever,” Bujalski said.

Pinellas County Commissioner Karen Seel said the fundraising effort to obtain the $10 million to purchase the property was one of the most cohesive efforts she's seen in her 25 years in elected office.

In August, the community came together after learning that Pulte Homes had a $14.5 million contract to purchase and develop the property, which is the last major of scrub preserve in the county.