BRADENTON, Fla. — The Bradenton Riverwalk is a highly trafficked trail for runners, bikers, and people of all ages — even along the parts that aren’t finished yet.
“No matter where you go, people know about our riverwalk and our downtown,” said Bradenton's Mayor, Gene Brown.
“A beautiful recreational riverwalk where people can be one with nature,” said Rob Perry, City Administrator for Bradenton.
It’s one of the area’s biggest assets.
“Bradenton in itself is about 14.4 square miles,” said Perry.
With most of the city along the water, leaders are looking to capitalize on that.
“About 6 or 7 years ago we finished the first of riverwalk and opened it up and it’s been a smashing success,” said Perry.
“Along that riverwalk in the downtown corridor, that’s our superpower here in Bradenton,” he added.
Now the city’s been working to expand it to East Bradenton, adding another 1.5 miles for a total of 3.
“There’s going to be some areas where it’s walking, some businesses, some restaurants, but then when you get to the actual end of Riverwalk East at Mineral Springs, that’s a park,” said Brown.
Expanding the Riverwalk is also important to the community because East Bradenton has a lot of history.
“Obviously this river was vital to Bradenton starting hundreds of years ago,” said Brown.
“Where the Bahamian families came and settled there because it was a fresh spring,” he added.
This Riverwalk expansion now combines different areas of the city — an important addition to surrounding neighborhoods.
“Different history and different culture on each one but also celebrating the future but the past is well documented and it’s important,” said Brown.
The Riverwalk expansion is expected to be complete in the next month or two.
