Cape Coral's Del Prado Linear Park is located along Del Prado Boulevard North between Kismet Parkway and Pine Island Road. Lined with colorful recreational equipment, the park offers space for residents to enjoy time out in the sun and stay active. 

A linear park may sound like a new concept, but it's a popular way to create recreational space using unique plots of land. 

They may be located along canals, rivers, old railroad tracks, next to streams, highways, or shorelines, but what defines a linear park is that they are strips of public land that are significantly longer than they are wide. 

The parks are edge spaces in areas that were often once considered to be wasted spaces. Instead, city planners have found that these spaces could be transformed into parks. Linear parks add greenery, act as wildlife corridors, offer a place to exercise and relax, and sometimes connect neighborhoods. 

The park is dog-friendly and offers waste stations. Image courtesy of City of Cape Coral.

Del Prado Linear Park was developed as part of a road-widening improvement project. 

“This Park is the only linear park in Cape Coral. There is a 10-foot-wide sidewalk on both sides of Del Prado, approximately four miles long from Pine Island Road to Kismet Parkway. This sidewalk offers an excellent place for jogging, rollerblading, biking, or walking, dog walking, and is lighted for evening use,” says Kaitlyn Pearson, Senior Public Information Specialist. 

Eight fitness stations for strength and conditioning are located on the east side of Del Prado between Diplomat Pkwy and Kismet Parkway. A sidewalk circles Lake Zurich and has a Rain Garden about a mile north of Pine Island Road—both located on the west side. There are rest benches along the way, and pet refuse stations. 

There are eight outdoor fitness stations located in the park. Image courtesy of City of Cape Coral. 

Del Prado Linear Park is currently being upgraded as part of the GO Bond project to expand and improve on Cape Coral’s parks and recreation amenities. The Park’s improvements include a parking lot, basketball courts, restroom facilities, and a playground. Find out more about Go Bond by visiting the Parks and Recreation Department's website.  

If you go: Del Prado Linear Park, Del Prado (between Pine Island Rd & Kismet Pkwy) Cape Coral. Parks & Recreation 239-573-3128, capecoral.gov. Other nearby linear parks include the well-shaded, on-leash, dog-friendly, six-mile John Yarbrough Linear Park in Fort Myers. The Park named after the former director of Lee County Parks and Recreation, John Yarbrough, offers fishing, bird watching, picnicking, restrooms, paved parking, and is excellent for walking, jogging, and rollerblading. John Yarbrough Linear Park is located at 14608 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, Fort Myers, 239-533-2111,  Leegov.com.

Ann Marie O’Phelan is a SW Florida resident and a regular contributor to TOTI Media.