FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Fred Johnson, Lee County Parks & Recreation
               (239) 461-7474

LEE COUNTY TRAILS MASTER PLAN DESIGN WORKSHOP:  A COMMUNITY CHARRETTE JANUARY  23-24

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 14, 2004) - Lee County Parks & Recreation, Lee County Health Department, Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel (Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau) and the National Park Service, Rivers & Trails Program, invite the community to attend a design charrette to help develop a MASTER PLAN FOR A COUNTYWIDE SYSTEM OF TRAILS, GREENWAYS AND BLUEWAYS.

The community workshop will be held from January 23-24, 2004 (starting at 8:30 a.m., see below) at the Riverside Community Center, 3061 East Riverside Drive in Fort Myers, Florida.

The partners are seeking the community's input to help identify:

· trail routes and corridors;

· regional links to adjacent counties;

· destinations and resources of significant importance in each locale of the county;

· opportunities and constraints in different areas of the county; and

· program elements for the trails in each area of the county.

All of which will be then used to produce a visually cohesive master plan of greenways and trails for the citizens of and visitors to Lee County.

Trails and greenways offer multiple quality of life benefits within a community. Trails provide "close to home" recreation opportunities, health and wellness benefits, positive economic impacts as well as transportation alternatives.

Several trails and imminent trail plans already exist within the county. These are:

· Great Calusa Blueway, a 35-mile section of the Lee County Paddling Trail system, begins at the Imperial River in Bonita leading paddlers through the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Several additional phases of the Lee County Paddling Trail are being planned.

· Ten Mile Linear Park is in the planning and design phase. This park will include a trail utilizing the Ten Mile Canal right of way on each side. This park will extend from north of Colonial Boulevard to Mullock Creek and when completed will provide a north-south pedestrian and bicycle route from the North Colonial Linear Park (east and West) to South Fort Myers.

· North Colonial Linear Park is an existing 2.7 mile bicycle/pedestrian pathway which parallels the North Colonial Waterway. In the future it will be linked with the Ten Mile Linear Park to the east and the Six Mile Linear Park to the west, making is a key link in an integrated bike and pedestrian system exceeding thirty mile in length.

On Friday, January 23rd, the event will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The charrette will begin with a welcome by Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah. Followed by an overview of the project and a video presentation about trail benefits. Next, a special guest speaker, Dr. Linda Crider from the University of Florida's Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program will present. The remainder of the day will include an open house forum where participants will be asked to conduct various mapping exercises by joining several facilitated work groups, which will include landscape architects and planners. Input on locations of corridors, types of desired recreational opportunities will be sought as well as information on the planning and design process of typical trails will be garnered. The public is also encouraged to discuss any recommendations, as well as opportunities or restraints relative to particular trail corridors during the breakout group session. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participants.

On Saturday, January 24th, the open house charrette will be held from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The following additional community activities are being offered as part of the charrette festivities.

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Community Fun Run/Walk (Hosted by the FM Track Club)

8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon 1/2 day design charrette

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Rowing Club Free Clinic (Hosted by the FM Rowing Club)

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon A Guided Mini-Kayak Tour (Sponsored by Cape Outfitters)

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Celebration Barbecue and Workshop Results

For those who did not attend the event on Friday, similar presentations will kick-off the first hour on the second day of the charrette with the workshop mapping and break out groups following. From 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. community participants are invited to attend a free BBQ at the Riverside Community Center. Representatives will highlight the conceptual vision of the countywide system of trails.

If you are a cyclist, runner, walker, paddler or equestrian you will want to join us for this important community event to shape the trails program for Lee County!