Public invited to Environmental Park Connector Celebration on May 6

The North Port community is invited to a celebration on Friday, May 6, 2016 to celebrate a project that will connect the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park to the T. Mabry Carlton Jr. Memorial Reserve.

The celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled to start at 10 a.m. at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, 6968 Reisterstown Road. The date and time of the event was changed due to scheduling conflicts.

The event will include light refreshments,giveaways, and activities. Guided walking tours will take place to bring residents to where the City of North Port and Sarasota County are building a pedestrian and equestrian bridge over the R-36 canal to connect the two environmental parks.

The City of North Port is home to the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, a 16-acre nature park with nature trails, gazebos, and bridges ideal for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, birdwatching, and other outdoor activities. The pedestrian and equestrian bridge, when completed, will link the North Port park to 25,000 acres that make up the Carlton Reserve, which features more than 80 miles of hiking trails. The Carlton Reserve also connects to the 12 mile Myakka Island Wilderness Trail, which connects to the Myakka River State Park.

The connector bridge’s construction is a joint venture between the City of North Port and Sarasota County, which are both funding $285,000 toward the project. The contractor for the project is TAMRIO, LLC. The bridge was designed by Charlotte Engineering & Surveying, Inc. and American Consulting Professionals, LLC.

The project is expected to be completed before the end of the 2016 calendar year.

For more information, contact Neighborhood Development Services at (941) 429-7044 or Sarasota County at (941) 861-5000.