Lakewood Ranch to consider allowing marathon through neighborhoods

By Nick Williams
nwilliams@bradenton.com

Lakewood Ranch community development district 1, 2 and 5 supervisors will consider allowing a 13.1-mile half marathon to run through its neighborhoods on January 27, 2013.

The marathon, organized by Active Suncoast, would begin on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch and continue along Lakewood Ranch Blvd. to Hidden River Trail through Riverwalk and Country Club and go south on Lorraine Road along the boarders of Summerfield and Country Club. The course would then turn west into Country Club on Players Drive, Thronhill Court and Edenmore Street. The course turns southeast and follows Legacy Blvd. to Arnold Palmer Green, and Master's Ave., eventually reaching University Parkway until it reaches Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

District 1 serves Summerfield and Riverwalk while District 2 and 5 serve the Country Club and Edgewater neighborhoods.

Karen Haynes, event coordinator for Active Suncoast, made the presentation to the district boards on Tuesday for their approval. She said nearly 700 runners and walkers are expected to participate.

"It's a fun activity for the community," she said.

During a join meeting between districts 2 and 5, supervisors cautioned of possible inconvenience to residents. After studying the course map, supervisors said some residents would not be able to leave their subdivision due to road blocks and would have to navigate through alternative roads.

The supervisors agreed to contact other neighborhoods in Manatee County that allowed a similar marathon through its neighborhood to weigh the pros and cons.

Haynes said she would need the districts' decision within the next month.