Welcome from Mayor and City Council

Welcome to the City of Venice official Web site. The Venice City Council and I are glad you took the time to visit our city over the Internet. Our city is known as the “City on the Gulf” and we are proud of all its amenities, especially its renourished beach.

Our beach includes Paw Park, the only park for dogs on the beach in Sarasota County. Our visitors and citizens can walk their dogs on the specified section of the beach, allow the dogs to play in the water and have the company of other dogs and owners.

Venetian Waterway Park is a 5-mile linear, concrete trail running along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway through the city. It is ideal for walking, jogging and biking.

U.S. 41 Business was recently widened and landscaped. Decorative light poles and lights were added for an attractive main roadway through our town.

Our historic train station was recently restored. For many years, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus used the train station when Venice was its winter home. Until 1991, when the railroad became unusable, one of the city’s most treasured annual events was the return of the circus from its summer on the road. Most of the town turned out to watch elephants, tigers and other animals walk from the train tracks to the arena, where the entire circus family would settle in to develop and practice its next season’s program.

We are in the process of rehabilitating Runway 13/31 at Venice Municipal Airport (for the pilots, the airport code is VNC) during 2006.

Our fishing pier, one of the few on the west coast of Florida, was rebuilt, along with a new improved bait shop. It provides spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico.

Our new interactive fountain, for children of all ages, was built by the city and its downtown organization, Venice MainStreet. The programmed fountain adds ambiance to  a charming downtown area.

Venice Little Theatre is a nationally acclaimed community theater. Its group of local talent entertains with stage productions.

The Venice Art Center displays works of local artists in several media, from oil paintings to basketry to fabric design. Art lessons are available there.

We are also the home of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice, one of the largest community foundations in the United States with assets of more than $200 million. The foundation supports many local nonprofit agencies every year.

We have our own hospital, Venice Regional Medical Center. It has an outstanding heart center.

If you are interested in moving your business to Venice, I would encourage you to contact our very active Venice Area Chamber of Commerce. It has a wealth of resources for all your business and service needs, as well as a better business bureau.

Please continue to browse our Web site and consider a visit to our community of engaged citizens and merchants. Come and share our little piece of Paradise.

If you already live here, please bookmark this site. It has valuable information including a calendar of meetings and special events, and information about such things as garbage and recycling, code enforcement, planning, disaster preparedness and other subjects of interest.

Ed Martin