Five miles of bike path landscaping under way
BY THE GICIA
The Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association Bike Path restoration projects are well underway. The Town Park project between Third and Fifth Streets is in the final stages of construction, with completion expected by the 4th of July weekend. Landscaping the rest of the GICIA Bike Path between First and the North End to replace the massive vegetation loss from Helene and Milton floodwaters began on May 19.
The transformation of the Town Park is extraordinary. This year celebrates the 40th anniversary of the GICIA Bike Path, and this busy section in the heart of downtown has not had a significant update since its planting in 1985.
New additions to the Town Park include sabal palms, thatch palms, Canary palms, Hong Kong orchid, Tabebuia, Royal Poinciana, and a massive 20-foot-tall specimen Banyan tree. The entrances at 3rd, 4th, and 5th Streets have a welcoming feel with large flowering trees and canary date palms. The car parking areas have been redefined and are buffered from the inside of the park by various palms and cocoplum hedges. Walking shell access paths can be found throughout the heavily foot-trafficked downtown park area, and the nearly 40 golf cart parking spaces along the path have been refreshed with crushed shell. Newly installed lamps will create a soft evening ambiance, and new benches and trash receptacles added to shady, quiet areas of the park. Keeping with the Bike Path Master Landscape Plan, the beautiful landscape has been created using salt- and drought-tolerant grasses, shrubs, and trees that will not require permanent irrigation once established.
Work on the rest of the GICIA Bike Path “replanting” began this week. Saltwater destroyed the landscaping in large sections of the path where it had sat for several weeks. Unfortunately, nearly 400 mature trees that died from saltwater exposure have been removed. Replanting the five miles of Bike Path is significant, taking almost 14,000 trees, shrubs, grasses, nearly 240,000 square feet of compost, and 290,000 square feet of mulch. As with the Town Park, the GICIA will only use salt- and drought-tolerant plants and trees in the design.
As construction continues, we ask that everyone be aware and cautious while on the path between 3rd and 5th Streets. The construction crew is cautious and will close the path while heavy equipment is used to ensure everyone’s safety. Please adhere to signs or instructions from work crews during this construction phase.
The estimated hurricane restoration cost for the GICIA Bike Path is $1.3 million. With generous gifts from two island families totaling $1million, the restoration of the 35 acres of GICIA Bike Path, the gateway to Boca Grande, will be beautifully replanted by the end of 2025. While enjoying the path, please remain alert, slow down, and provide ample space in areas where crews are working. The GICIA has partnered with the Boca Grande Woman’s Club to continue safety details conducted by local deputies along the bike path.
