‘Let Us Run’: Coral Sprints Run Club Moves to Tamarac, Launches Petition Seeking Return to Coral Springs

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Some of the members of the Coral Sprints Run Club: {courtesy}

A free running club that moved its weekly gatherings to Tamarac is asking Coral Springs officials to help bring it home after months of discussions over permits and potential safety requirements.

Coral Sprints Run Club founder Juan Charria told Coral Springs Talk that organizers registered as a nonprofit, bought insurance, and redesigned their running route to address the city’s concerns, but still haven’t found a workable arrangement.

“We’re not asking for financial assistance, just the city’s support,” he said.

Charria founded Coral Sprints in 2025 as a free community for people who want to walk, jog, or run together. Its Wednesday gatherings began at the Modera apartments, where he said police approached the group in July.

“They effectively told us we’d be cited if we continued to run unauthorized.”

Organizers then met with the deputy city manager and parks and recreation director, who outlined steps to complete before proceeding through the special event permit process, according to Charria.

“We registered as a non-profit, we purchased general liability insurance and named the city of Coral Springs as an additional insured and worked on an alternate route that would avoid crossing any heavily trafficked streets,” he said.

While working through those steps, organizers asked for a place where the club could continue meeting.

“In the meantime, we asked for a potential place we could continue to gather so that the community wouldn’t die out.”

According to Charria, the city’s only suggested location was the Sawgrass trailhead. The club moved its runs there from late July through the end of October.

During an early October call with city leadership, however, he said additional potential requirements emerged, including road closures and a police detail. Charria maintains those possibilities had not been raised at the July meeting and would create obstacles for a club that charges no dues.

“To me, they are under the impression that this is a weekly organized 5K race and we take over the streets when we are simply trying to continue to build an open community to people who walk, jog or run,” he said.

With the end of Daylight Saving Time, and no agreement reached on another location, organizers moved the weekly gathering to Tamarac.

“So as daylight saving time approached, we found no solution or help from Coral Springs in finding a place to meet and run and therefore had to shift and adapt.”

The first Tamarac run brought back about 20 people who had stopped attending during the trail gatherings, according to Charria.

“These are families with kids in strollers that want to engage and be healthy as a community,” he said.

He described Tamarac’s approach as one Coral Springs could follow.

“Tamarac has welcomed us with a straightforward liability waiver for participants, and I believe Coral Springs could adopt a similar approach. We’re more than willing to work with the city on routes that minimize street crossings and address any legitimate safety concerns.”

Supporters have launched a Change.org petition, “LET US RUN: Bring Community Running Back to Coral Springs,” describing a group that grew to more than 120 walkers, joggers, runners, and family members. The petition also raises concerns about access to public parks for smaller runs and highlights relationships the club has built with local businesses.

Coral Springs resident and club member Mutya Pacis has also written an open letter to Mayor Scott Brook urging support for the group’s return. Pacis, a mother of three, described the club’s role in helping families build friendships, stay active, and develop a sense of belonging.

For Charria, the ideal return would be downtown.

“Ideally, I’d love for Coral Sprints to meet on the lawn outside City Hall, right in the heart of downtown, near Modera, where we were previously welcomed and supported,” he said.

“The city is investing so much into revitalizing its downtown area, and what better free promotion for the surrounding restaurants, retailers, and fitness businesses than having an active community gathering there every Wednesday?”

His request is for a process that accommodates regular community exercise without requiring a new special event permit each week.

“It could be a wonderful partnership between the city and a completely free, inclusive wellness community that welcomes everyone, regardless of fitness level.”

Charria recalled Brook commenting at the November 4 commission meeting that he did not want the group becoming “Tamarac Sprints Run Club.”

“Neither do we. We’re called Coral Sprints because we’re proud of the city where we started and the community we’ve built here,” Charria said.

“We’d also love the freedom to use public parks for our smaller Saturday morning runs without worrying about being shut down. But our immediate priority is simple: Give us a reasonable, accessible way to bring Coral Sprints back home.”

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiple outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.