PUBLIC MEETING ON JUNE 13
Floyds Fork Greenway Public Input Opportunity
Wednesday, June 13, 2007 – 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Christian Academy Auditorium, 700 South English Station Road
The public is invited to attend the second in a series of input meetings managed by Wallace, Roberts and Todd (WRT), selected master planners for the Floyds Fork Greenway Project. Wednesday’s meeting will offer citizens their first opportunity to review a map showing the location of park land that’s currently part of the Floyds Fork Greenway project, along with proposed alignments for the Metro Loop trail in that corridor. Participants will have the opportunity to offer feedback and input to 21st Century Parks, Metro Parks, Future Fund and WRT. Doors open at 6:30 pm with a presentation to follow. Public input is requested as part of the master planning process; you can also offer input online after the meeting at www.LouisvilleKy.gov/MetroParks/cityofparks.
As part of the “City of Parks” initiative, the Floyds Fork Greenway Project will encompass a system of parks, trails and open spaces roughly following Floyds Fork from Shelbyville Road to Bardstown Road.
RECENT CITY OF PARKS HEADLINES
Mayor Abramson, 21st Century Parks, the Integrity Foundation and Metro Parks had several exciting announcements at the end of May. Here are the highlights, in case you missed anything:
· Canoe Access Sites Open Along Floyds Fork (June 30)
· New Sports Center Planned for Citizens with Disabilities (June 29)
· New 166-Acre Park to Host Sports, Other Events Along River Road Corridor (June 29)
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The Floyds Fork Greenway
The Floyds Fork Greenway Project is sounding more and more like an equestrian focused project. For a variety of reasons, equestrian supporters have been turning out in large numbers (and undoubtedly working w/their elected representatives to insure their voice is heard) and it will be interesting to see if all of the trails are open to horses.
It's also interesting to note that there's currently talk of two five-mile trail systems in the works. While this would be a much welcomed addition to our existing trail system, it's not quite what many mountain bikers had envisioned when the park expansion project was first announced. A five mail trail, built to exacting IMBA standards, would probably take about 30 minutes (or less) to ride. Therefore, the big carrot that Metro Parks is holding out for local mountain bikers is to wait years and years for these trails to be built, while forgoing any efforts to ride on our existing trails in Iroquois Park or Jefferson Memorial Forest.
Once again, we're expected to wait patiently, completely ignoring the fact that we once had access to Iroquois and JMF, and hope that we get a couple of trail systems at least 5 miles long.
In addition to submitting your suggestions to WRT, one should also be working w/Metro Council's Park Board to help insure that we get some well-designed high quality trail systems (the longer the better).
I have to agree with you on
I have to agree with you on this one. I have suspected for a long time that the MTB community is being misled on exactly what the city of parks is all about. In the end I fear it will be a series of well groomed, landscaped parks filled with shiny new playground equipment and sprinklers for kids to play in.
I got my response back about the forest the other day. Metro government didn't appreciate me referring to it as a waste of space! But whatelse can you say when at best a 1000 acres of an 8000 acre forest are being utilized? I would love to see the true numbers of visitors that utilize Jefferson Memorial Forest. I bet it would absolutely shock people that so few people take advantage of this "gem"!
I am completely frustrated with this situation. I know so many people that have given up on Louisville. They have left for better locations that offer more in the way of outdoor activities. Its sad really, and this city of parks is not going to be the solution.
Metro Parks holds a couple
Metro Parks holds a couple of "festivals" at JMF each year, along w/hikes, and outings for scout/school groups etc., to help w/attendance figures. Tom Wallace Lake, just across from the welcome center is also a popular attraction.
Excluding the above, and focusing on "regular" visitors, I would imagine the numbers actually going in to use the forest is very, very small indeed. Other than a handful of hikers, and trail runners, the largest municipal forest in the U.S. is woefully underused.
The more we press the point that Louisville is advertising itself as Bike Friendly, coupled w/the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Iniative, the more likely we'll get access to our PUBLIC trails once again.
Furthermore, on many of my advocacy submittals I've used the term elitist to describe Metro Parks trails policies. While it may be just a coincidence, while watching our Metro Council on local cable channel 25 I've noticed more than one councilperson using the same term when laws/regulations are discussed that limit the public's access to our natural areas. By driving the home the point about elitist trail policies, benefitting mainly the affluent, at some point our argument will gain traction w/our elected officials, and Metro Parks will be forced to change their policies.