Sarasota Playground Set To Reopen After Suspicious Fire

SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota playground is set to reopen after a suspicious fire damaged the equipment earlier this year.

The official reopening of the Pioneer Park playground will take place at 10 a.m. Oct. 1 as city officials take the wraps off brand new playground equipment. Please note that the time of the event has been changed by city officials.

Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department told Patch that police are still searching for a trio that was spotted around the playground moments before the fire via surveillance video from the nearby Historical Society of Sarasota County (watch below). The fire occurred in February.

The new playground equipment from Playcraft Systems features a treehouse theme with multiple slides, arch swings, tree climbers, a spider net climber and a first-of-its kind SpinMax Spherical Spinner.

Officials said the new playground has areas for children between the ages of 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. In addition, there are freestanding musical components, including drums and flower-shaped harmony bell and ground-level components for accessibility.

The playground is located at 1260 12th St. For more information on the event call the project manager at 941-329-6149.

Surveillance video of the fire shows flames shooting from a wooden platform around the playground equipment. One of the three people in the video appears to be wearing a backpack. All three were seen walking near the playground less than two minutes before the fire began.

If you recognize any of the people in the following video, call the Sarasota Police Department:

To report a tip, call Detective Adam Morningstar at 941-364-7338. Alternatively, call Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS or visit www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.