Is this your idea of a day at the beach? According to the Treasure Island Chamber of Commerce, it is for some people.
The huge white quartz sand beach of Treasure Island is the subject of a controversy over whether the multiple carnival events held each year are getting out of hand. The beach is turning into a parking lot for several days, several times each year.
Steve Nichols of Fox13 news recently did a story on the controversy.
If you’ve ever been to Treasure Island Beach, you know that parts of it are so wide that you have to walk roughly 1,000 feet to get to the water’s edge. Treasure Island uses the beach on several occasions each year to have large carnivals.
Some people like it. Others complain. Several beachfront hotels (Windjammer, Thunderbird, and Page Terrace) are voicing their displeasure over having the beach in front of their hotel turned into a parking lot.
Do 18 wheelers belong on the beach?
Here’s what I think: Treasure Island, along with most of the Pinellas County beaches, has a history of over-development. Let’s face it, it’s not exactly a nature-lover’s paradise. Most people who want peace and quiet go to Anna Maria, or Sanibel, or perhaps down to Manasota Key or Palm Island, Don Pedro Island, or Little Gasparilla. So it’s no surprise that the Treasure Island Chamber would lean toward activities that they believe will bring in more cash flow. One could easily presume that people come to Treasure Island, not because of the abundance of quiet, but because of all the amenities and entertainment it offers.
Still, at some point, enough is enough, and apparently there are a significant number of people who draw the line at Ferris wheels and 18-wheelers on the beach between their hotel and the water.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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