Friends,
We are extremely pleased to inform you that the long-awaited reopening of the Old Seven Mile Bridge commenced on Jan. 12, 2022.
The Old Seven Mile Bridge – 110 years old, 2 miles long, and traversing what is considered to be the most beautiful section of the Florida Overseas Highway – needed to be significantly restored and then preserved and maintained in the future.
Our organization’s long-standing mission is precisely what has been accomplished: save, restore, maintain and enhance the Old Seven Mile Bridge and adjacent areas. We are extremely proud to have been instrumental in achieving this through our volunteers, members and overall community support and hard work for the past ten years. People may now again walk, bicycle or roller blade across the newly refurbished bridge from the City of Marathon to Pigeon Key.
We thank the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Monroe County, the City of
Marathon, the Pigeon Key Foundation and the thousands of individuals and entities from the Florida Keys and around the world for their wonderful support in helping to make a reality of this long-held dream.
Now that our mission has been accomplished, the board of the Friends of Old Seven approved a resolution to dissolve the organization, including distributing its remaining assets as follows:
- A check for $18,000 was presented to the city of Marathon on April 12 to be held in a trust for improvements to Sunset Park at the entrance to the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Marathon is seeking an operational lease for Sunset Park that will allow it to manage the park and build a permanent restroom facility. If the city obtains 100% funding for the restroom facilities, it can apply the funds to other improvements in Sunset Park, including a tunnel under the Overseas Highway connecting the park and Knights Key Blvd. In the event another entity is designated to manage Sunset Park, the funds shall be transferred by the city to that entity upon completion and operational approval of a restroom facility. If a restroom facility is not constructed with operational approval by Dec. 31, 2024, the $18,000 held in trust by the city of Marathon shall be paid to the Pigeon Key Foundation as an unrestricted gift. Thus, all funds collected will be used for the enhancement of facilities for the utilization of any visitors to the Old Seven Mile Bridge.
- A plaque commemorating Friends of Old Seven and its board members for their contributions to the successful restoration of the Old Seven Mile Bridge will be placed at Sunset Park.
- Remaining assets will be used to cover any outstanding expenses, and any remaining balance will be donated to the Marathon Chamber of Commerce.
On April 18, following the $18,000 donation ceremony at City Hall, board members celebrated the conclusion of our mission with a toast and farewell at the foot of the newly restored Old Seven Mile Bridge. Again, this incredible effort to “Save Old Seven” was accomplished by all of you, the Friends of Old Seven, who supported the effort, attended events, signed petitions and donated funds. We are eternally grateful for your participation in this effort.
Sincerely,
Bernard Spinrad, president
Mike Puto, sesident
Mary Cinotti, Secretary
Greg Lindeberg, treasurer
