We are asking Pinellas County and the City of St. Petersburg to activate the Pinellas Trail by building a parallel bike skills path in the Bay Pines-to-Downtown corridor.

St. Pete already embraces skate and action sports, and we are proud of the concrete parks that serve our community. But dirt riders, BMX riders, and trail riders are being left behind. Right now, if someone wants to ride dirt jumpers, pump lines, or progressive MTB features, they often have to load up a truck and drive far outside town. That leaves too many riders without a place to practice, improve, and stay active close to home.

The Bay Pines-to-Downtown corridor has the kind of wide utility right-of-way that can support multiple progression lines without taking away from the trail’s core purpose. A parallel bike skills path would give riders of all ages a safe, local place to move from basic rollers to more advanced features over time. It would help beginners learn, give experienced riders room to grow, and create a real destination for the trail community.

We believe St. Pete should support all kinds of riders, not just some of them. Building this kind of space would strengthen our parks, bring more life to the trail, and give our community a new reason to gather, ride, and progress together right here in our own backyard.