BRADENTON, Fla. — The Bradenton Riverwalk east expansion is almost finished and set for a grand opening this fall.
The Riverwalk would connect the city from the west of the Downtown Bradenton area to the east at Mineral Springs Park.
The park used to be home to the historic Angola community of enslaved black people who had fled from captivity.
The settlement started forming in the early 1800s when they sought safety among the Native-American Seminole tribe, and some of them intermarried.
The Bradenton Riverwalk, which was created 10 years ago, is three miles long and aims to provide the neighborhoods on the east side of the city with equal riverfront access and more recreational space.
"The space was kind of like a blank space before, but now it is more inviting for a family to come out here and enjoy themselves," Tom Washington said, a Bradenton resident.
Washington said he and his family trace parts of their lineage back several generations to the settlers of Angola. He comes to the park to play his djembe drum.
With the expansion of the Riverwalk and the improvements that have now provided access to the Manatee River, Washington said he can now comfortably sit along the bank, dip his feet in the water and play drum beats in reverence of his ancestors.
"What they are doing with the park, I love it, it's beautiful. People can come out and enjoy themselves," he said.
"I longed to just come straight to the water, come fishing or whatever, and since they have been building, this part has been cut off. You would have to go either to Palmetto or you would have to go down to Coquina beach, but I can come straight down the road and relax." Washington said.
Bradenton city leaders said the Riverwalk project is all part of a larger effort to revitalize the area with not just business and residences, but to also attract recreation and tourism.
"If you want to go the whole way, you're going to be able to go three miles from one end to the other and then three miles back, but it's going to help connect our city and that's what's exciting," City of Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown said. "The Riverwalk also gives this neighborhood a park to have and do different activities."
The project includes a 35-feet high observation deck with wheelchair access. City leaders said they are in talks with businesses, including real estate, restaurants, and retailers, about opportunities to achieve their vision for the Riverwalk.
The expanded Riverwalk is set to open fully on Sept. 10, and another goal is to have the entire project up and running by Nov., according to Brown.