Unless you have been living under a rock the last couple
years, you know the economy and housing values have been in the
toilet. Last fall the county had several public meetings concerning
a number of public services they had either on the "Chopping Block"
or were going to severely reduce funding for in order to reduce the
overall county budget. One of these "targets" was the county parks
department and about 300 park rangers. Some rocket surgeon made the
suggestion to the County Commission to reduce staff and park hours
in all county parks to Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm. After a couple of
public commission meetings that were attended by many vocal and
parks supporting citizens, the Commission took the suggestion of
some that they would rather see the parks charge a "parking fee" and
continue to offer the more flexible hours where the public that
enjoy the parks resources could help offset the budget crisis.
Currently you will find kiosks and "Iron Rangers" that
contain payment envelopes and annual pass applications for parking
passes at most county parks, including the "Wilderness Parks" of
Flatwoods, Morris Bridge, and Trout Creek. The fees are $2 per car
up to 8 people and $1 per person after that. Annual passes are $50
per individual and $100 for family passes. The county also is now
charging for access to boat ramps located within these parks of $5
per visit, or an annual pass for $100. Please make sure you help
support the parks by getting an annual pass!
Get Your Annual
Pass Application Here!
Upper Tampa Bay Trail News
Phase III - The section north of Ehrlich Rd, to Peterson Rd. was opened in 2001.
Phase II - This four mile extension from Linebaugh Ave to Memorial Highway, along Channel A and Rocky Creek.
This phase consist of the trail, two trailheads, and a bridge over Rocky
Creek, all funded by the Community Investment Tax and was opened in the summer of 2004.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Phase IV - the County is currently in the process of planning the section of
trail from Peterson Rd. to the Suncoast Parkway Trail.
To connect the existing UTB trail to the Suncoast Trail, land acquisition is
immediately important. To receive this funding we NEED YOU to let our county
commissioners know that the citzens support this project.
Please call, write letters, or e-mail your county commissioners, concerning
your support of this project.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Please call, write letters, or e-mail your county commissioners, concerning your support of this project.
-News Release-News Release-
Bicycle Named Invention of the Millennium
Simplicity, Effectiveness and Social Consequences Lauded
Rich Olken, Executive Director of Bikes Belong Coalition, announced today that the bicycle,
a simple mechanical marvel, has been named the Invention of the Millennium. "Nothing else
even comes close", Olken noted, "it changed industry and society. The bicycle is even
responsible for the emancipation, enfranchisement, and equality of half our population, and
now we realize that it is a major component in the solutions to our problems with gridlock,
pollution, obesity, and other societal ills."
As the year, century, and millennium draw to a close, Bikes Belong Coalition wishes
all cyclists and advocates for cycling the very best. We thank our members, the companies
that support bicycling advocacy and our mission of putting more people on bicycles more
often.
Members of Bikes Belong Coalition are:
We thank the advocacy community for all they do for cycling. We give special thanks
to our grantees for propelling our mission with their wonderful projects:
-Bill Wilkinson, Bruce Burgess, MaryAlice Rath and Peter Moe National Center for Bicycling
and Walking "Guide to Bicycle Advocacy"
-Heather Andersen and Ellen Jones Washington Area Bicycle Coalition Metropolitan Branch
Trail
-Debbie Hubsmith Marin County Bicycle Coalition Marin County Bicycle Freeway
-Jeanne Hoffman Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin Hank Aaron Trail
-Mark Chase and David Gibbs Alliance for Transportation Choice Portland (ME) Bicycle
Network
-Ron Milam Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Los Angeles River Bikeway
-John Kaehny Transportation Alternatives Riverside South/Hudson River Greenway
-David Snyder and Leah Shahum San Francisco Bicycle Coalition City-wide Bicycle Network
-Darlene Tussing Billings Parks, Recreation & Preservation Foundation BikeNet
-David Stocks Friends of the Katy Trail Katy Trail, Dallas
And we thank the political leaders who have worked so hard for bicycling because they
know that bikes belong in our strategies for transportation, recreation, health and fitness,
safe routes to school, public land use, and livable communities for the 21st century. We
especially note the contributions of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater and
the Department of Transportation; Congressman James Oberstar, Bikes Belong Coalition's
"Advocate of the Millennium"; Congressman Earl Blumenauer, leader of the Congressional
Bicycle Caucus; and Governors Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania and Jeanne Shaheen of New
Hampshire, leaders in making their states bicycle friendly.
Bikes Belong thanks the many, many more people not mentioned by name but
indispensable to the cause. We wish you all happy holidays and a new millennium of happy
cycling.
"And I heard him exclaim, ere he rode out of sight,
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good ride!"
Richard Olken, Executive Director
Bikes Belong Coalition, Ltd.
1368 Beacon Street, Suite 116
Brookline, MA 02446-2800
Phone:617-734-2800 Fax:617-734-2810
Rich@BikesBelong.org
