St. Petersburg is now one of 23 Florida cities to earn a Trail Town designation, which stakeholders believe will help increase tourism, access to grants and, ultimately, connectivity.
City officials celebrated the recognition from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) Office of Greenways and Trails at a Jan. 15 council meeting. The program launched in 2018 to showcase communities with significant trail investments.
In a subsequent announcement, Mayor Ken Welch called the designation a “testament to what we’ve known all along – St. Pete is a vibrant community where residents and visitors can enjoy our thoughtfully-designed trails, active transportation, arts and culture community and local businesses.”
“I’m proud of the work our city team and our community partners did to secure this designation, and for their ongoing efforts in making St. Pete one of the best places to live and visit,” Welch said in a prepared statement.
According to the state, a Trail Town is a “vibrant destination where people come together.” The program also denotes a place “where trail users can venture off a hiking, biking, equestrian or paddling trail to enjoy the amenities and unique heritage of the community, benefitting the town economically and socially.”
Cheryl Stacks, transportation and parking manager, told city council members that St. Petersburg began seeking recognition for investments along the Pinellas Trail last year. She said the designation would provide an opportunity to work more closely with the FDEP and other honorees to boost eco-tourism.
Stacks added that “this could assist us in several grant pursuits, especially at the state level.” That funding would allow officials to continue making significant investments in all city trails.
The FDEP typically requires larger cities to identify a specific designation area, Stacks explained. City documents state that “while almost all of St. Petersburg has access to trails, the section of the Pinellas Trail that runs through the Greater Arts District has the largest impact” on surrounding neighborhoods.
The three-mile area encompasses the Warehouse Arts, EDGE, Central Arts and Waterfront Arts Districts. Stacks noted that FDEP staff toured the trail with local stakeholders in late November.
St. Petersburg’s proposal received unanimous approval from the Florida Greenways and Trails Council following a Dec. 17 presentation. Highlighted amenities include wayfinding signage, emergency markers, trail courtesy reminders, restaurants, bicycle shops and other adjacent retail offerings.
“We did note that there are limited public restrooms and Wi-Fi, but that’s where the partnerships with adjacent businesses really kind of come into play,” Stacks said. She also noted that each of the four sub-districts is “really important to contributing to a great experience for trail users.”
“We honed in on identifying arts districts, because there really is this kind of symbiotic relationship that exists between the arts and the trails,” Stacks added.
The former rail corridor that became the Pinellas Trail runs through the heart of the Warehouse Arts District. The recognized section runs east to the downtown waterfront and Demens Landing, the terminus for the state’s Coast-to-Coast and Florida Gulf Coast Trails.
“The Pinellas Trail is also used for transportation purposes to link different iconic local events, including Localtopia,” Stacks said. “The Saturday Morning Market is directly adjacent to the Pinellas Trail. We can’t possibly have enough bike parking that serves that event.”
Stacks credited several area businesses and organizations for supporting efforts to secure the designation. Those include the Sunline Coalition, a community-led nonprofit dedicated to improving connectivity, enhancing green space and activating community spaces.
The organization advocates for trail-oriented development, with the Underline in Miami and Beltline in Atlanta serving as models for success. Sunline’s leadership made the initial request for Trail Town designation on behalf of the city.
“At Sunline, we believe the trail is more than a path – it’s a place,” said Chairperson Tara Hubbard. “One that connects people, nature and art, supports local economies and invites stewardship at every step. We’re grateful to be part of a vision that puts people and place at the center.”
The state will now provide St. Petersburg with Trail Town visitor “passports,” signage and stickers. Stacks said the city would partner with tourism agencies to promote the new designation, and staff will participate in quarterly Trail Town Alliance meetings.
She also noted that the city will host the next Florida Greenways and Trails Council meeting in April. Officials are also working to secure permits that would allow additional access points along the Pinellas Trail, and an FDOT grant will help fund those efforts.
St. Pete Distillery, Foodie Labs, Daddy Kool Records, Vertical Ventures, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and Friends of Trails Crossing were among the businesses and organizations to pledge their support. Stacks said she would continue reaching out to other stakeholders, such as the Saturday Shoppes.
Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. said the designation would help support small and minority-owned businesses. “I think about the economic benefits,” he said.
“I think about the health and wellness benefits, and then also the transportation benefits,” Givens continued. “It’s an overall public health win.”
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
