Riverwalk Testimonials

Sandy and I grew tired of the traffic, development activity and weather of south Florida four years ago and began to look for a more tranquil life style. We looked as far north as Tennessee and the Carolinas and finally found The Riverwalk at Fanning Springs. To us the Riverwalk represents an oasis of calm and beauty in a part of Florida that has escaped the un-principled expansion of commercial enterprise. We have constructed and now live in a home that meets our need for spiritual tranquility and an active life style amongst the beauty of an oak hammock. We have met new friends and have unstructured social engagement.

We are impressed with the Padot's commitment to develop a small community on what was a family farm while preserving the natural beauty that represents this part of Florida. Trees are cut down only as absolutely necessary, and the infrastructure has been built around and through natural areas. As on ongoing commitment to natural preservation, David has deeded a portion of the natural wooded areas to the Suwannee River Management Association. This means these areas will always be preserved in their natural state.

Both Sandy and I retired from an oil company, Sandy was involved in administration and I was engaged in engineering and facilities operation. For ten years we were actively committed to a boating lifestyle and did extensive cruising in a blue water sailboat. Then we slowed down a bit and took up motor coach traveling. We still travel by motor home and at the Riverwalk are involved in landscaping and motorcycle riding. As an experienced motorcycle rider I have been very pleased with the well maintained roads in this part of Florida. We enjoy rides to the local springs and as far north as the panhandle.

We both exercise regularly at the clubhouse facilities. One of our simple pleasures is to have coffee on our front porch after our exercise, and enjoy the view from our new home. Often we see deer, lots of squirrels, wild turkey and other critters. I can't recall an area with more birds, large and small. We even observed a young bald eagle in our back yard.

An engineer is involved with the physical world and normally unswayed by the spiritual. It was a surprise to me to find a spiritual component to my life when I experience the Riverwalk each day.

Come and enjoy what we have found at the Riverwalk of Fanning Springs.

Jack and Sandy Thompson

Jeffrey Skubi – Retired (Career: Wine Sales, Management, and Marketing)

Ruth Hernandez – Retired (Career: Human Resources, The University of FL and Maryland Public Schools)

We spent our career years in Laurel, Maryland, mid-way between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. In retirement we wanted CLEAN AIR and a SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE. We lived nine years in Cedar Key, Florida, forty miles south of Fanning Springs, before discovering Riverwalk while bicycling along the Nature Coast Trail, part of the Florida Greenways System. Favorably impressed with the Riverwalk community, we bought a lot in The Preserve (section) near to the Nature Coast Trail gate. We commenced building a Wilcox (floor plan) home while renting a house in Riverwalk’s Greenways section, immediately after selling our home in Cedar Key.

We have both CLEAN AIR and a SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE through living in Riverwalk. Ruth and I both are active and the Nature Coast Trail is key to our exercise routines. Ruth walks the trail with our dog, Gracie, and I bicycle the trail daily. Going north, the trail crosses the Suwannee River in two miles, over a beautiful converted railroad bridge and accesses many rural, low traffic, flat roads in Gilchrist and Dixie counties that are great for bicycling. The total length of the Nature Coast Trail is 31.7 miles. Riverwalk’s immediate trail access is one of its outstanding features. Also, the Clubhouse at Riverwalk has a well equipped fitness studio that we use regularly.

From Riverwalk it is 10 miles or less to the communities of Chiefland and Trenton for local shopping and services. For a wider choice of shopping and services, it is 35 miles straight east via FL Highway 26 to the center of Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. A small city, Gainesville is a regional medical center and has a regional airport. The Alachua County Library System is the largest library system in north central Florida and issues library cards to Gilchrist County residents at no charge.

The community of Riverwalk provides for comfortable and active living in a beautiful natural environment that is safe, friendly, and peaceful.