Celebration and Public Comment Period For the Paradise Coast Trail

Michelle Avola-Brown, Executive Director,
Naples Pathways Coalition

Naples Pathways Coalition hosted a public meeting at River Park Community Center and shared the progress of the Paradise Coast Trail Feasibility Study. We showed proposed alignments, typical sections of the trail, project segmentation, and next steps. It was also an excellent opportunity for the community to provide input, ask questions, and share any concerns. If you missed the public meeting, don’t worry! We have a virtual meeting available on the Naples Pathways Coalition website. You can view all the presentation materials and provide your input until February 25th. Please visit www.NaplesPathways.org.

On February 5, 2022, we will be putting on the Paradise Coast Trail Community Celebration at Baker Park from 1 to 4 pm (295 Riverside Cir, Naples, FL 34102). It will be a free event for the public with lots of fun for children and adults. Some planned activities include a bike rodeo, children’s 1K fun run, bounce house, splash pad, park, and games. Kids can bring their decorated bikes and win prizes in our contest and parade. There will be several tasty food choices, and for adults, cornhole, a pet parade, giveaways, and more. Bring your friends and family and enjoy all the festivities with us on February 5! Walk or ride your bike there and enjoy the Gordon River Greenway before you leave too.

If you’re looking for a ride through the city and not sure of the best streets to use, take a look at the City Bicycle Loop map that our Board of Directors proposed to the City Council and staff for inclusion in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update. It’s a scenic and enjoyable ride that you can extend by hopping on the Greenway from Baker Park. The Paradise Coast Trail will extend the Greenway with 70 miles of paved pathways, separated from the road, and connect Naples to Ave Maria, Bonita Springs, Collier Seminole State Park, and other areas within and beyond Collier County.

I love seeing so many people out riding and walking in the glorious weather we are blessed with this time of year. With the increase in vehicle traffic and parking hassles, walking and biking to meet friends for lunch, shopping, and other destinations is a great idea, as long as we keep safety as our priority. We all need to put away distractions, including phones, when we walk, bike, or drive. Plan your route ahead of time, wear bright clothing and a helmet while biking, cross at intersections only when it’s safe and after you’ve made eye contact with any drivers who are also looking to cross.

Naples Pathways Coalition is a 501C3 non-profit advocacy group dedicated to improving the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and works to protect and provide equal access for vulnerable road users. We hope you will join us on February 5 for the Paradise Coast Trail Community Celebration and mark your calendar for our 16th Annual Naples Bike Brunch at Lowdermilk Park on March 13, 2022. Proceeds will be used to further our mission and build the Paradise Coast Trail.

Register here:
https://bit.ly/BIKEBRUNCH22. Kids under 12 ride free!

For more information about these events, to volunteer, or learn about sponsorship opportunities, please email: Michelle@NaplesPathways.org or call 239.777.7718.