The Bay Park Conservancy, the nonprofit responsible for overseeing the redevelopment of 53 acres of land owned by the city along Sarasota Bay into a public park, celebrated the opening of the Mangrove Walkway in March with a small, private cutting ceremony of ribbons 25. The Mangrove Trail will officially open to the public on April 10th.
Half a mile, 10 feet. A wide sidewalk winds around the coastal wetlands in Bay Park. The foundation stone was originally laid in January 2020, and the western part was opened to the public in October 2020. Work on other catwalk features, including the new kayak launch, dredged and restored bayou, and improved bayou bridge, is expected to be completed in the summer of 2021. The improvements include removing invasive plant species, installing more than two dozen different Florida-friendly ones Plants, the addition of more than 100 new trees, new rainwater treatment measures and new ADA-accessible paths.
The mangrove trail is accessible to hikers, runners, bikers, and more. Other Phase 1 features include the Sunset Boardwalk, The Lawns, the Living Shoreline and a concession area.