Friday, March 5, 2010

City Says It's OK To Bike Through Curtis Dixon Park, But Don't Try Bike Tricks And Jumps


As many of you read on this blog, I wrote to the city of Tampa via an email inquiry and also to its Customer Service Center at http://www.tampagov.net/appl_customer_service_center/ regarding the bicycling policy at the new Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa.

But the city blew me off. But the Tampa government staffers decided not to blow off St. Pete Times reporter Elisabeth Parker, who this week did a story on the city's confusing policy regarding bicycling in the new Curtis Dixon Waterfront Park.

As several of you mentioned in comments on this blog, the city security and police were telling people to stop bicycling in the park after it opened in late January.

I wrote a letter to the city asking to allow bicyclists to ride in the park because the park is a vital transition area from the riverwalk to downtown and Ashley Street.

The Times story seems to indicate that the city will allow bicyclists to ride through the park, but that the city will not allow bicyclists to do tricks and such in the park in much the same way the city will not want skateboarders in the park.

I agree with one comment at the end of the Times story that says it's s shame that the city of Tampa's first instinctual move as government was to crack down on bicyclists at the park and then clarified its policy only after citizen complaints and a Times reporter delved into the matter.

Best I can ascertain, you can bike in the park to get through the park or to lock your bike at the park, but the city will not allow you to bike in the $1.5 million fountains area and use the park as a bike-trick park.

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