A showdown is set for Monday on a proposed $730,000 half-mile walking path in The Villages.
The Lake Miona Walking Trail has been a source of contention over the past few months.
Proponents of the path argue the new amenity would provide a view of Lake Miona at the Black Lake Preserve that few Villagers get to experience now. Walking paths in the Village of Fenney and elsewhere south of State Road 44 have proven to be immensely popular and residents contend the north deserves walking trails, too.
“This side of The Villages is in great need of such a wonderfully natural walking area. It would be a great addition in so very many manners of thought and exercise. Our Village birders would love such an opportunity to get some exercise and perhaps identify some birds along the way,” said John Affleck of the Village of El Santiago.
The proposed trail is about a half-mile long, a 1.3-mile out-and-back loop. The surface of the trail would be Flexi-pave, the premier surface type for lower impact walking trails and ideal for wet environments. Flexi-pave was put down in a renovation several years ago at Paradise Park on the Historic Side of The Villages. It has proven to be extremely popular. The Lake Miona Walking Trail would also feature a timber bridge and ribbon curbing.
The Lake Miona Walking Trail would be funded with amenity money under the management of the Project Wide Advisory Committee, which oversees amenities south of County Road 466 and north of State Road 44.
The problem is the price tag. It started out at $150,000. Then it grew to $430,000. It topped out at $760,000, but District staffers are now bringing forward a negotiated price of $729,360 from EarthScapes Unlimited Inc.
There have been some vocal critics of the project. PWAC Chairman Don Wiley has called it “our Big Dig.” Community Development District 10 Supervisor Steve Bova criticized the project as “outrageous” considering economic uncertainties, prompting similar criticism from supervisors from other CDDs.
PWAC is expected to vote on the Lake Miona Walking Trail when it meets at 8:30 a.m. Monday at SeaBreeze Recreation Center.
Do you think it’s a good use of Villagers’ amenity money? Share your thoughts in a Letter to the Editor at letters@villages-news.com
