VENICE, Fla. — It had been a beloved landmark in Sarasota County for generations, but Trolley Nebraska was damaged beyond repair by recent hurricanes.
The South Jetty — as well as the North Jetty where it sat — remains closed after two months, both of which were hubs for locals and tourists.
As repair efforts continue and other related plans for the jetties, county officials are calling for the community's help so future generations can also share the history of the trolley.
Barricades with cones and caution tape were positioned along the Casey Key Road entrance towards the park to restrict vehicular traffic to only residents and delivery trucks.
Evidence of the havoc caused by the hurricanes was also still visible in the neighborhood leading to the park.
Sarasota county officials said there is still a lot of work to be done including by the Army Corps of Engineers. However, as they await the various steps involved in that process and its completion, they have called on the community to share their visual memories of the iconic trolley that once stood in the park.
"It really looked bad. I mean, the water took it all. I mean, everything there was destroyed on this side, and on the south side too," said Jose Honedro, a Nokomis neighbor, of the damaged trolley.
Before it was destroyed, Trolley Nebraska was brought from Ybor City around 1946 was central to the community's history. It first opened as a restaurant and then as a concession stand. Now that it has been lost for good, county officials have set up efforts to keep its legacy alive.
"We are asking the public to provide their stories and memories to us of the trolley. We know that generations of people have spent time there and we want to hear those stories. We want to see those pictures," said Nicole Rissler, director for Sarasota County Parks and Recreation.
Rissler said the damage to South Jetty damage was much worse than at the North Jetty. She added that over the last four years, each storm has continued to cause additional and progressively more extensive damage.
"Erosion behind the actual rock and so we've been working really closely with WCIND and the City Of Venice for their side as well as the Army Corps on what we envision would be a project," Rissler said.
Neighbors who frequent the parks said they can't wait until all the repairs have been completed, so they can return to their routine.
"Glad we have the beach open now, but this is a place where everybody comes to. Everybody, you know, they pass the day here. I like it here. I love it here. It's a beautiful place. It should be open already," Honedro said.
As the Army Corps of Engineers finalize their plans, county officials said they are working to at least get the North Jetty park open for beachgoers. They are optimistic that will happen in the coming weeks.
If you'd like to share your memories of the North Jetty Trolley, you can visit Sarasota County's website at scgov.net