Sarasota County Florida opens latest segments of Legacy Trail linear park

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Sarasota County Florida opens latest segments of Legacy Trail linear park Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Sarasota, FL – For several cyclists traveling the Legacy Trail just north of Proctor Road, Thursday morning’s opening celebration was part formality and part obstacle course.

Prior to the start, some cautiously maneuvered their bicycle or – in one case a recumbent Tricycle – slowly through the officials milling about.

Once Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Rissler started the ceremony, a couple of southbound cyclists stopped a few feet north of the podium and walked their bicycles south on the grass. Northbound cyclists paused to join the crowd.

“This is certainly a wonderful day for Sarasota County as we continue the race to completion,” Rissler said, as Sarasota County toasted the opening of Segment 2 – which includes an at-grade crossing of Clark Road – and belatedly toasted the opening of Segment 1.

The Segment 1 celebration, planned just after the July 4 weekend, was canceled because of Tropical Storm Elsa.

The Legacy Trail now spans the former Seaboard Air Line railroad easement from Bahia Vista Street south past the Historic Venice Train Depot and the Venice Area Beautification Inc. Urban Forest to Shamrock Park in South Venice.

Rissler proudly noted that the extension of trail north from Culverhouse Nature Park and east to North Port via a network of trails is roughly three years ahead of schedule.

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