The following is from Metro Louisville's City of Parks page:
You are invited to attend an input meeting managed by Wallace, Roberts and Todd, LLC, selected master planners for the Floyds Fork Greenway Project. The meeting will be held at Eastern High School’s auditorium on Thursday, February 22. [click here] for more details.
As part of the master planning process, we'd like to hear your thoughts. Please take a few moments to answer a few survey questions. Your input will help us best serve you as the project evolves: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=954343254088
Please be sure to provide input for the above survey if you would like to see mountain biking included in the park expansion project.
Olmsted Conservancy has made it well known as to their thoughts about mountain biking. On their homepage, olmstedparks.org, under the Save the Woodlands heading you'll find the following statement about Cherokee Park: "Trails have been devastated by inappropriate uses." You only have to read between the lines a little bit to know that they're talking about mountain biking.
Please remember that they started their (most recent) attempt to boot cyclist's off the trails approx. 1 yr. ago. First the Parks Director informed yours truly that some user groups would have to be eliminated from Cherokee, then Olmsted refused our trail work offers and shortly thereafter criticized our dedicated trail leader and the local mtb group as a whole.
The writing was on the wall, until we mobilized and put a stop to their efforts to boot cyclist's off the trails.
Please be sure to provide input on all of the positive items associated mountain biking, or park insiders will make sure we get no additional access. thanks, Don
I have to edit my post, since I can't hit the reply! (ha)
Is it just me, or is anyone else wondering why completing the above survey isn't being pushed by the local advocacy group?
Parks is about ready to undergo a major land expansion that hasn't been seen in over 100 yrs. For a relatively small group such as mountain bikers, you have to make your voice heard, loud and clear, if you want to be included in parks future plans.
Please remember that during the Bike Summit held in 2-05, parks made NO mention whatsoever of mountain biking. If we leave it up to parks, we may in fact have no future access.
The local advocacy group (which is currently under the direction of parks) has determined that their number one priority is an ATV trail system in far southeastern KY.
If your number one priority is additional local trails, complete the survey and make your opinion count!
Edit No. 2, Feb. 14, 3pm
I had a little trouble waiting for the February 22nd meeting, so I contacted the good people at Wallace, Roberts & Todd at their Philly office (215) 732-5215.
Now’s the time to make sure you get your comments on record, which is why I’m submitting mine in writing.
Please note that this will be the first in a series of meetings. The Final Master Plan is not due until early 2008. Therefore, if construction on access roads and other amenities start shortly thereafter, it will most likely be years before we’re able to access the parks. (Six to eight years is the current time frame for completion of the project, so who’s up for a group ride in 2014???.)
The current plan calls for at least 3 parks, of 400 acres or more. Questions abound: is mountain biking going to be included, who’s going to design the trail system and more importantly who’s going to build the trails? In addition, with parks long-standing elitist trail policies (remember equestrians have access to every major park) are the trails going to be completely multi-use? I would imagine there are quite a few horse enthusiasts who will be pushing for access. (Note- this could very well be parks approach to adding technical features on the trail.)
Three groups are cooperating on this project; 21st Century Parks, headed up by Dan Jones (whose dad is the co-founder of Humana and the major fundraiser for the entire project) is the main player who’s calling the shots. For example, they’re the group that hired the consultants ($829,000). The second group is Future Fund, headed up by Steve Henry, who has been leading efforts to purchase and preserve land along Floyds Fork for well over one decade.
The third and final group is our very own Metro Parks. As with every project of significance, Metro Parks is forced to farm out all design/planning functions to consultants and will basically be on the sidelines until it comes time to mow the grassy areas and empty the trash cans (two of the three areas where they excel, the other being website snooping).
We have over 120 local parks, and exactly ONE that allows mountain biking on the entire trail system (Waverly). Let’s hope that our participation is this process results in additional parks that can be accessed by mountain bikes.
