The 2007 state Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grants are due on Feb. 1. To make the grants a little more user friendly, the state has provided a downloadable (go to the GOLD home pg. and click on grants) word based document to work in.
Ky. will have a little over 1 million dollars to distribute for off-road trails in 07.
The big news is that for there's now 3 seperate levels of funding, starting with the tried and true 50/50 match (for smaller grants) progressing on up to an 80/20 match for more expensive projects. The impact of this change, 2007 is the first year that its been tried, is that small cash poor clubs (ie- cycling clubs!) only need to provide 20% of the overall projects costs. For a max. $100,000 grant, that only comes to $20,000. Which is still a lot of labor and donated materials, but with some creative financing, you may start to see some larger scale off-road projects moving forward in the coming years.
Hot off the press, RTP Grant
Hot off the press, RTP Grant deadline has been extended to March 15!
The RTP is a great opportunity for a local group (which it's primarily designed to help) or public agency (city/county gov't.) to lead a trail improvement effort. Depending on how the club decides to fund the project, it can very easily return a great deal of cash to their bank account.
Due to Metro Parks poor performance (purposely scoring in the bottom 10% of 2006 submittals . . . it's a long story) last year our Metro Council approached me to submit a 2007 grant for Waverly Park, directly thru the council so parks can't undercut our efforts once again. I passed the contact info. to our new trail leader at Waverly and the local advocacy groups leader, so it will be great if there 2007 RTP submittal is accepted. Combined w/the $10,000 Metro Council grant I secured for Waverly back in 2005 (not a penny of which has been spent by the way, go figure) it could greatly accelerate improvements at Waverly as well as helping out the local groups bank account.
Our Governor’s Office for
Our Governor’s Office for Local Development has received 88 applications for the 2007 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant money. The applicants are seeking over $5 million dollars in trail funding.
Unfortunately, the state only has a little over 1 million ($1,322,366.20 to be exact) to give out. Nearly $400,000 is slated to fund motorized uses, and the balance will go towards non-motorized.
Application highlights include:
Daniel Boone National Forest- scored very well on their application, and is requesting $100K for a very ambitious project that includes basic maintenance/restoration of 20 miles of motorized trails and 250 miles of non-motorized (which includes Cave Run).
Knott County in the far southeastern portion of the state has applied for 2 grants, each requesting $100K, to fund a (mostly) motorized trail system.
Taylorsville Lake also scored very well, they’re requesting $100K to repair the 16 miles of trails in the park. Note- these trails are open to mountain bikers, and let’s hope that if the project is funded, we end up w/some truly multi-use trails that will support both equestrians and mountain bikers.
General Butler State Park also scored very well on their $25K submittal. The state parks department hopes to put in a limestone trail connecting the existing natural surface trail to canoeing and kayaking areas.
Application (not so) highlights include:
Waverly Park- Metro Parks improved this year’s score (which is still only in the bottom 20% of all submitted applications). Last year, parks submittal was in the bottom 10% of all applications, and needless to say, it wasn’t funded. As an IMBA RTP mentor, I was very disappointed that parks refused my efforts to assist on their 2006 application, especially when they where well aware that I had successfully submitted an RTP on my own back in 2003 (for Waverly Park no less!).
Furthermore, are you satisfied that the largest municipal parks department in the state continues to score so poorly on RTP grants?
Another unfortunate aspect of the 2006 RTP (and this year’s as well) is that parks is holding the $10K grant I secured from Councilman’s Hawkins office to be used w/the RTP. If memory serves me correct, they’ve been holding that money for over 3 years now, and if the this year’s RTP is not funded, it makes one wonder if it will ever get spent.
It doesn’t take a full-time cynic to realize that parks low scores on the RTP submittals, along with their attempts to use the $10K grant for non-approved purposes, fall right in line with their strategy to prevent Waverly from ever getting in “good” shape, so no future talks about access elsewhere can take place.
Do you really think this year’s situation with the Trail Leader for the park was a simple oversight/accident? All parties involved have attended one (or more) IMBA Trail Classes. All parties involved have experience in trail layout and design. And there’s also been at least three (that I know of) GPS trail maps issued for Waverly. So how did it come to pass that parks would let mountain bikers spend several Saturday mornings building a reroute, only to pull the rug out from under their feet? I’m sure that in the near future, it will be explained as just a little miss-communication, but when you consider in the context of just how anti-mountain biking parks has been, it makes perfect sense to me.
It also supports parks long term (and unsuccessful) strategy to ban mountain biking in Louisville. How many people are even aware that mountain bikers had access to Jefferson Memorial Forest back in 1995 and were simply booted out (ie- 1 park down 2 to go)?
How many people are also aware that parks had planned to open a disc-golf course in Waverly by the end of 2001? (The article is available via the Courier-Journal). I was told by parks project manager that once the disc-golf course went in (ie- almost the entire area behind the dam was set aside for the course) mountain bikers would be forced out of the park (that would’ve been 2 down, 1 to go, but parks eventually dropped the disc-golf course plans).
In December of 2005 parks informed local mountain bikers that one (or more) user groups would have to be eliminated at Cherokee Park (at least this time we were warned). And later in 2006 Olmsted started severing ties w/mountain bikers and just before we were booted out, we contacted our elected officials, and parks ended up dropping plans to boot us out of Cherokee Park.
Hmmm as I recall the story
Hmmm as I recall the story about Cherokee park turned out to be a complete fabrication and could never be confirmed by anyone at Metro Parks or the Olmsted Conservancy.
To think that MP will kick mountain bikers out of Waverly is ludacris. It is just this sort of incendiary talk that continues to damage the relationships other are trying to repair.
I simply can’t imagine why Metro Parks wouldn’t want to work with you. I mean if they make one mistake off goes another letter to the metro council and mayor.
excuse me
Mr. Vogel, do you sit on the Grant Application Board?
100 thou to the DBNF
100,000 dollars could go a long way in the DBNF. It would be great to get the trails repaired that I'm always complaining about. I can't imagine a world without biking three feet deep in the mud during the spring season.
Bark Camp Creek info. needed
The USDA Forest Service is requesting $80K to putt in an 80' bridge to cross Bark Camp Creek. It states the bridge will be located in the Moobow Section, which appears to be a 10.7 (out and back?) mile trail that includes mountain biking.
Is anyone familiar with this area? Have you ever ridden there, if yes, do you support funding for the bridge?
Bark Camp Creek info. needed
We need Paul Rose to get on here and share some info....
The RTP board finalized
The RTP board finalized their recommendations yesterday afternoon.
The state is divided into 15 districts, and the board voted to fund at least one project (motorized or non-motorized) in each district. Primary consideration was based on the projects score, but we also looked into the amount of new trail to be added, and other factors as well.
Our recommendations are in the process of being forwarded to the Governor’s office for review. Highlights include:
Bark Camp Creek, Trail Bridge Replacement, USDA Forest Service, Cumberland Valley, $80K (note- mountain biking is allowed on this 10.7 mile trail section)
Eagle Lake Trail Restoration, Morehead State University, 7,000 ft. of trail next to the DBNF, $100K
Taylorsville Lake Trail Restoration, 16 miles of trails to be restored to multi-use (we’ll find out in the next couple of years, if it’s funded, if mtb’ers and horses can actually share trails) $100K
Natural Arch & Barren Fork, USDA Forest Service, Lake Cumberland, maintenance 16.6 miles, that includes mountain biking, $80K
Butler Lake Trail, 1.6 mile limestone trail will connect to the 7 miles of mtb trails in the park, $25K
Cumberland Ranger District, DBNF, maintenance of trails, $100K (note- grant did not break down exactly how the funding was going to be spent, and I was unable to speak w/Kerry Loomis, who submitted the grant, prior to our meeting)
For the other than highlights:
One of the 15 funded districts is our local KIPDA. The Taylorsville Lake Trail grant (which scored an excellent 65 points, second highest of all applications) was the one KIPDA application funded.
Metro Parks submittal scored 41, in the bottom 20% of all submitted (and 4th lowest of 5 in the KIPDA district) and was not recommended for funding. Metro Parks submittal showed $32K to be spent on a gravel path around the fishing lake, as well as a $17K bridge to be installed over the dam, and $4K for a canoe launch ramp.
Nonetheless, there was one was supportive letter in Metro Parks application that included the following “Metro Parks has been incredibly generous in responding to our needs as a club and agreeing to work with us on the assembly and implementation of the overall project plan.” (“incredibly generous” - unbelievable)
In conclusion, the RTP grant serves as an excellent opportunity to fund additional trails within the commonwealth. Mountain bikers need to become more involved with land managers and local government agencies to insure adequate funding is spent on natural surface dirt trails that allow mountain biking.
DBNF Not funded???
Am I correct in reading that the DBNF $100K RTP project was not funded?
Would this be what was funded in this district? Eagle Lake Trail Restoration, Morehead State University, 7,000 ft. of trail next to the DBNF, $100K. This is $14.28 per liner foot. And it is called "restoration". WTF? Wasn't the DBNF application for "100K for a very ambitious project that includes basic maintenance/restoration of 20 miles of motorized trails and 250 miles of non-motorized (which includes Cave Run)."
Am I nuts? 7,000 ft of trail to be restored was funded over 270 miles of trail for the same amount of money? I must be missing something here.
Don - I like you. I don't care what you say or do, I will always like/respect you for the GOOD things you did for KyMBA. But IMHO, you should give the metro parks thing a rest. If Metro is as incompatant (sp?) as you say, folks will realize it. It is my opinion that you have a fine reputation in advocacy circles, but your metro parks rants have/are jeopardizing your reputation. It is not healthy.
What would be heathly? Take the one challenge that KyMBA never really met....going statewide. Take your energies and efforts OUTSIDE of metro parks, or outside of da ville completely. It is really cool to make something happen that no one thought could happen. Perhaps DBNF or another location in KY could be your place to make this something happen. Da ville has new KyMBA leaders to take care of Louisville and NKY. Stay out of their way and let them succeed or fail. What is the worst thing that could happen....status quo or the loss of a trail to ride. Best thing....KyMBA expands riding in da ville. This best thing MUST BE A GOOD THING FOR YOU or you are working (at least thinking) against us (mtbers). Think if this way.....KyMBA is successful in da ville, you are working on DBNF (or somewhere else) and you reap the bennies of KyMBA 'ville success w/ a new place to ride. I think you have a great amount of energy that needs to be refocused into a positive direction.
I apologize if I have overstepped my bounds.
Respectfully,
Bill Victor
DBNF
Hey Bill, As someone who went to Morehead State I can tell you that the trail up by Eagle Lake BADLY needed some attention. It is literally on campus and could be a great place for hundreds of students to ride. The last time I was up there it was all hike a bike as hundreds of trees were down and many places the trail was just gone so I can see why it would take some serious cash to get it up to par. I hope they try to get volunteers from the University to help with the trail. I hate it that the Cave didn't get any funding but those trails are at least rideable (during the dry summer months after the horse damage is worn away some).
Just another opinion.
Later,
Pat
DBNF is funded! Hello Bill,
DBNF is funded!
Hello Bill, here's hoping that one day our RTP monies (or others) will bring you back into the state to cut us some first class trail.
I can't see my original post, but it does list the DBNF, Cumberland Ranger District, as being funded at the $100K level. I ended up playing phone tag w/the project mgr., and was unable to find out exactly how the funding was going to be spent (he was actually out on the trails each time I called making improvements).
reread it!
Don,
That's good to hear. I must have missed it in the thread you posted this AM about what got funded.
Is Kerry Loomis the person to contact to see what their plans are?
We could make that stuff super sweet, improve the drainage and make some places to get into the air (if you want to be there).
BV
Funding
I rode the eagle trail last year and it wasn't that bad. Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong trail, but this one is directly off the Sheltowee and it takes you over to campus behind the lake. I think two trees were down, but the main problem was it wasn't cut. I guess they can fix some of the steeper hills with this money. I'm not sure how they can spend 80k there, but that much money could make that trail extremely nice.
It's great that the DBNF got funding. It definitely needed it. I can't wait to see the results!
Digging for more info.
I sent an email out to Carey asking what are the plans for the funds. I also asked if he knew who was heading up the Eagle Lake trail work. As soon as I get a reply I'll post it here.
Eagle Lake trail
I used to ride this trail years ago. It has a ton of potential. I hope they fix it up. The downhills are streight up and down wash outs and the trail really needs to be cut along the benchs and switchbacks added. 7000 feet is not much of a trail though.
I really hope that Cave Run gets some of the money.
Eagle Lake Trail
I just remember a rocky trail that had some steep downhills that I fly down to climb the other side. Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong trail. Does this trail bring you out at the new satellite on campus?
I'll be waiting for your reply gonzo. A lot can be done with that much money.
The 2007 RTP grant winners
The 2007 RTP grant winners have been announced and the big winners are:
Northern Ky. Stonehouse Trails of Camp Springs- $100K, construct 30 miles of dirt trails.
DBNF- Cumberland Ranger District- $100K, maintenance/restoration of 20 miles motorized and 250 miles of non-motorized trails
Black Mountain Off Road Adventure Park- Harlan County- $100K, maintenance/restoration of over 100 miles of ATV trails for an expected 50,000 annual visitors
Taylorsville Lake State Park- $100K, restoration of 16 miles of multi-use trails (includes mountain biking) it will be interesting to see if the final product will be able to support both horses and mountain bikers
LBL- Turkey Bay- $80K, trail maintenance on over 100 miles
Despite having the most lavishly funded park system in the state, the collective energies of Metro Parks failed once again to secure any grant funding. The local mountain bike group has secured far more in trail specific funding (not to mention dedicating far more hours and cutting far more trail) than parks has over the last several years.
Even though local mountain bikers have repeatedly proven to be one of most dedicated and passionate volunteer organizations for parks, we’re still treated like second-class citizens. We only have access to less than 400 acres here in Jefferson County, despite the fact that there’s more than 10,000 acres of publicly owned land available. While at the same time, equestrians have access to part, or all, of every major piece of parks property in the system.
We’ve been kicked out of Jefferson Memorial Forest, Iroquois Park and very nearly Cherokee Park. Plans were well under way at one time to install a Frisbee Golf course behind the dam at Waverly which would’ve ruined the trail system and list goes on and on.
During my recent conversations with IMBA’s Executive Director, Mike Van Abel I pointed out the difficulty of local volunteer groups submitting and managing RTP grants through completion. Mike agreed that as soon as IMBA finds a revenue source, local professional field-based representation would help in solving the problem.
RTP grants would be a win-win situation for communities, IMBA and local mountain bikers. Local communities would gain readily accessible trail systems for health and recreation, IMBA would gain some much needed revenue by spec’ing in their trail care crew, and local mountain bikers would actually get some professional high-quality trail systems built.