Wellington, FL – March 1, 2021 – At the Village of Wellington Council Meeting on February 23, 2021, the Council affirmed their strong support for the preservation of Wellington bridle trails. The Lake Worth Road Right of Way Bridle Trail, also known as the “Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail” in Palm Beach Point, is one of the most unique and desirable publicly accessible bridle trails in all of Wellington, Florida. Used by thousands of horses and riders every year, the trail is at risk due to two adjacent landowners who petitioned the Village of Wellington and ACME Improvement District Board, current managers and owners of the land, to give the land to them.
The comments from the Council, given through Village Attorney Laurie Cohen, affirmed their strong support for the preservation of Wellington bridle trails.
Specifically, Cohen stated that the Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail is owned by the ACME Water District and that the Council believes that “ACME should continue to own it” rather than abandon it. The Council members serve as ACME’s Board.
The petition to save Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail, originally posted in order to gain support to urge the Council to not abandon the land, also contains a second measure for which supporters of the trail urge equestrians and those who support the bridle trail system to sign. The measure includes asking the Council to continue to take steps toward making the Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail public and integrate it into the official Wellington Bridle Trail system in the equestrian element of the Comprehensive Plan.
What Can You Do?
Sign the Petition! We will continue to collect signatures to show the equestrian and local community’s support for the bridle trails and in making the Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail public and part of its official system. Nearly 600 people have already signed, and we know that many in the larger community support this effort.
Button: Sign Now
Thank the Council! Email the Village Council and Village Manager to thank them for retaining the Big Sunnyland Canal Bridle Trail (officially the Lake Worth Road Right of Way Bridle Trail in Palm Beach Point). Be sure to include your name and address, and most importantly, pass along your thanks to them for ensuring that the trail continues to be owned by ACME, not the abutting property owners. Also, be sure to request that the trail be added to the official Village Bridle Trail system.
Email addresses are as follows:
Mayor Anne Gerwig: agerwig@wellingtonfl.gov
Vice-Mayor Tanya Siskind: tsiskind@wellingtonfl.gov
Councilman John McGovern: jmcgovern@wellingtonfl.gov
Councilman Michael Napoleone: mnapoleone@wellingtonfl.gov
Councilman Michael Drahos: mdrahos@wellingtonfl.gov
Village Manager Jim Barnes: jbarnes@wellingtonfl.gov
For more information, visit the Preserve Wellington Bridle Trails Facebook page or email Glen Fleischer at SaveSunnylandTrail@gmail.com.