Friends of The Legacy Trail
2023 Membership Meeting

You are invited to the Friends of The Legacy Trail (FLT) 2023 membership meeting on Tuesday, April 4, at the Nokomis Community Park building, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. FLT merchandise will be available for sale in addition to lite refreshments and a raffle for prizes.

Presentations will be made by Charles Hines and Megan Eidel.

Charles Hines (left) is a former Sarasota County commissioner, currently working with the Trust for Public Land as a Gulf Coast Trail program director. He will speak about the plans for the Florida Gulf Coast Trail linking Tampa and Naples through Manatee and Sarasota counties. Megan Eidel (right) is a manager in the Natural Areas and Trails division of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources. She will talk about the Legacy Trail bridge construction at Clark Road and Bee Ridge Road and plans for the bifurcated trail. 

Advance registration is not required, but if you plan to attend, please let us know via our contact page so that we can plan accordingly. See you soon! 

New Deer Prairie Creek Bridge and Parking Area
Opening March 28

Trail Survey:
Walkers, Runners, and Skaters Needed!

Last month we initiated a survey to measure how people use The Legacy Trail. Thank you very much to the many people who have responded. We have gotten many responses from cyclists; however, we’re still short on data from our walkers, runners, and skaters.

If you use the trail by one of these modes of locomotion, please tell us by taking our (very short) online survey. Your information helps us determine how the trail is being used, which helps secure future trail funding.

The Legacy Trail Will Extend a Little Farther

Thanks, and congratulations, to the City of Sarasota for successfully obtaining a Recreational Trails Program grant to build an extension of The Legacy Trail along the southern border of Payne Park, and along the northern side of Alderman Street. The grant is still subject to some environmental approvals, but these are not expected to be an issue.

This new trail segment will be 1,170 feet long and 14 feet wide. In addition to the trail, the project will include a shade shelter, benches, tables, bike rack, drinking fountain, lighting, informational signage, and landscaping. The total cost of the project is $897,000, of which $400,000 is the state grant award and $497,000 is the matching fund contributed by the city. This extension, combined with the existing Brother Greenway Trail, is getting us closer to having a safe multiuse recreational trail connection from The Legacy Trail to Bayfront Park.