FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Nov. 17, 2021, at 5 a.m. Eastern

CONTACT: Patricia Brooks, patricia@matchmapmedia.com, 202.351.1757 

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Invests Over $300,000 to Support Community-Driven Efforts to Connect People and Places by Trail 

EVERGLADES BICYCLE CLUB AWARDED $1500 GRANT TO PROMOTE LOCAL TRAILS

Miami, FL - The Everglades Bicycle Club (EBC) is among the grantees included in today’s announcement by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), which shared that it has awarded a combined $308,500 in funding to 45 projects across 16 states. According to RTC, the grants are investments in community-led efforts to create more opportunities for people to connect with trails in their neighborhoods—either through activities and events or through improved, connected trail infrastructure. 

The focus for the Club will be the Miami Loop which includes the Underline, the Ludlam Trail and the Miami River Greenway, as well as the Biscayne-Everglades Greenway where EBC organizes an annual ride in March to highlight the importance of the trail as an active recreational and commuter link in the southern portion of Miami-Dade County.  

“We are seeing an increase in trail riding as many cyclists are becoming wary of close-calls on roadways.  The Everglades Bicycle Club is committed to serving these cyclists by organizing group trail rides and introducing them to what will one day be an entirely connected trail network spanning Miami-Dade County.”     Sue Kawalerski, Vice-President, Everglades Bicycle Club.

RTC’s Trail Grant Program emphasizes strategic investments that support significant regional and community trail development goals—often providing funding for projects that are small in scope and scale and can be hard to finance within traditional funding streams. These projects are essential to building, maintaining and managing the trails that communities rely upon for recreation, transportation and economic vitality.

“At RTC, we believe that trails have the power to transform communities and create joyful, vibrant public spaces that are equitable and inclusive,” said Liz Thorstensen, RTC’s vice president of trail development. “These grants are intentional investments in the partners and people who are working on the ground—in their neighborhoods and in their states—to establish the programming and the infrastructure necessary to invite everyone living in a community to enjoy their trails. Our partners are leading the way to a future where trails connect everyone, everywhere.” 

This round of RTC trail grants prioritized investment in RTC’s flagship initiatives, including RTC’s TrailNation™ initiative, which is designed to establish model trail networks across the country to prove what is possible when you equitably connect people and places by trail. Grants also fund those working to connect the Great American Rail-Trail™, the nation’s first entirely bikeable cross-country trail, which will one day link Washington, D.C., and Washington State.  The Underline, the Miami Loop, the Ludlam Trail and the Biscayne-Everglades Greenway are all TrailNation initiatives.

Since 2008, RTC has distributed $2,373,320 in trail development grants. For a listing of all grant recipients, visit railstotrails.org/grants. To learn more about TrailNation, visit railstotrails.org/trailnation. To learn more about the Great American Rail-Trail, visit railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail. 

The Everglades Bicycle Club is South Florida’s premier cycling club since 1976, promoting safe cycling practices and cycling infrastructure such as protected bike lanes and off-road trails.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is the nation’s largest trails organization—with a grassroots community more than 1 million strong—dedicated to building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways for everyone to walk, bike and be active outdoors. Connect with RTC at railstotrails.org and @railstotrails on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

—30—