Gulf Breeze seeks input on blueways plan, a water highway for paddlers, kayakers
Gulf Breeze is seeking input on its plan for a blueway, a water trail around the city that would give paddlers access to city property near waterways.
Gulf Breeze seeks input on blueways plan, a water highway for paddlers, kayakers Gulf Breeze is seeking input on its plan for a blueway, a water trail around the city that would give paddlers access to city property near waterways. Check out this story on pnj.com: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/01/09/gulf-breeze-seeks-input-blueways-plan-paddlers-kayakers/2526497002/
Annie Blanks, Pensacola News Journal Published 3:30 p.m. CT Jan. 9, 2019
Gulf Breeze plans to add several launches for kayakers and paddlers to create a "blueway," essentially a water highway for travelers who want to get around the city of Gulf Breeze via the water.(Photo: Courtesy of the City of Gulf Breeze)
The city of Gulf Breeze is seeking citizen input on its Blueways Plan for Paddlers, a connected water trail that will wrap around the city and allow paddlers better access to city-owned property near various waterways.
The city's Advisory Park Board is hosting a Blueways Plan Citizens Input and Review meeting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Gulf Breeze Community Center, 800 Shoreline Drive, for citizens who are interested in reviewing the city's plan and providing input as officials move forward.
"The (board) will be receiving public comment tomorrow, prior to formulating a recommendation of any modifications to the Mayor and Council," Gulf Breeze City Manager Samantha Abell told the News Journal in an email Wednesday. "The Mayor and Council asked the board to revisit the plan for compatibility with neighborhoods."
The blueway is the first of its kind in the area, and, when completed, will allow paddlers and kayakers to move about the city via the water. The city says the blueway "provides a comprehensive approach for encouraging kayaking and paddle boarding to connect our citizens and visitors to the diverse natural environment throughout Gulf Breeze."
More: Gulf Breeze looks to launch water trail around city for paddlers
There are currently five launches and four piers, according to the city. New improvements proposed for fiscal years 2018 to 2022 include launches at Navy Cove, Woodland Park, Gilmore Bayou and Deadman's Island.
The city's plan is to improve these sites by putting in amenities — such as a new dock, better parking and educational markers that outline the unique environmental characteristics — and then detailing the distances to and from the other locations.
So if a paddler doesn't want to take on all of the 6-mile trip around the city, they'll know the distance to other launch sites.
So far, only Woodland Park and Navy Cove are funded in the city's budget. Woodland Park has $25,000 in approved funding, which will go toward demolishing an existing dock and installing a new dock. Navy Cove is budgeted $135,000, which will fund launches, racks, educational markers, boardwalks, parking and benches.
The city has a five-year plan for creating the waterway.
Annie Blanks can be reached at ablanks@pnj.com and 850-435-8632.
Read or Share this story: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2019/01/09/gulf-breeze-seeks-input-blueways-plan-paddlers-kayakers/2526497002/