Tampa Mayor Takes a Stand for People Powered Pathways! - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

06-04-2004, 11:14 AM

They take their bike routes seriously down there in Florida! So much so
that Mayor Pam Iorio directed her Greenway department to make for a
worthy Tampa NBG Day. And that they did! Do get a look at this report,
complete with pictures (we will have them webbed soon), just in from
Mary Duke of Tampa Greenways:

========================================

It was a hot, steamy morning, not particularly good riding weather in
Tampa for the kick off of the southeastern leg of the National Bicycle
Greenway Mayor's Ride. Mark Power of Power on Cycling and his wife and
brother-in-law from Kansas made the trek on recumbent bicycles from
Ballast Point Park with Dean Stoddart, landscape architect and Greenway
trails contract coordinator, to the Riverwalk at the Tampa Convention
Center. There they met other cyclists, Jim Shirk, Eddie Wall, Sally
Thompson (Tampa Greenways & Trails Committee chair) and Mary Helen Duke
(Tampa Greenways & Trails Coordinator) for the official city ride to
kick off the event.

Accompanied by two of Tampa's finest bicycle cops, the group trekked to
Cotanchobee/Fort Brook Park where they were met by a media entourage
including Bay News at 9, CTTV15 (City public access TV station); CBS
(10); and FOX (13). An enthusiastic group of about 20 Greenway &
trail enthusiasts enjoyed the view of Garrison Channel and Harbour
Island while listening to Mayor Pam Iorio proclaim June 1st as National
Bicycle Greenway Day in Tampa.

Mayor Iorio informed the crowd of her vision for a Riverwalk from Tampa
Heights to Cotanchobee Park where residents could walk or bike to the
Forum to see the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup! She reported
that we have about 20 miles in ground today, 20 miles of on-road bike
lanes, 4.6 miles of nature trails and a vision for over 125 miles of
Greenway trails connecting neighborhoods with the city.

Mayor Iorio presented the Mayor's Proclamation to Jim Shirk, who will be
riding with Eddie Wall over 200 miles to Jacksonville, Florida during
the next 3.5 days. She encouraged them to drink plenty of water, due to
the weather conditions and wished them a safe journey.

Tampa Greenways & Trails Citizens Advisory Committee Chair Sally
Thompson told of her family's history of bicycling in Tampa, and of her
mothers role as a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Committee in the 1970s. She talked about how many of Tampa's roads used
to be signed as bike routes. She stated that her parents bicycled on
their honeymoon through Florida and that road conditions are very
different today than they were 50 plus years ago for cyclists. She said
that is why she is involved in Greenways & trails today. She applauded
the City's efforts thru the years*to make biking and walking conditions
safer in Tampa and encouraged all to support the development of
Greenways & trails.
--
M A R T I N K R I E G : "Awake Again" Author
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Bent Since '83, Car Free Since '89, '79 & '86 TransAms
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