Monroe County Parks and Rec - same as it ever was
Recently there was debate over modifying the existing Monroe County Parks master plan to legally include mountain biking in sensitive park areas of Monroe County, as well as, reopening a road that bisects Ellison park to vehicular traffic. After a set of hearings and a public process that is suspect at best - the County Legislature voted to adjust the master plan.
Basically - the GOP majority has a plan, supported by the Parks and Rec Committee. The Democratic minority offered amendments and the GOP plan sailed through without significant adjustment. The amendments? Separate trails - one for mountain bikers one for hikers. There was another which used one of the four parks in question for Mountain Biking. The only amendment that did get adopted was one by Republican Ciaran Hanna which has to do with a pedestrian crossing.
City News (Moule) has a very comprehensive write-up
Now - I said earlier that the public process was suspect at best - check out this video from the the Parks and Rec open hearing on May 6th that proceeded the County Leg vote on May 12th. At this hearing - most (the vast majority of the public) came out opposed to opening the parks to mountain biking. This speaker focused on the public process. During this process, members of the parks committee were told they are no longer voting members, there wasn’t direct notifications to the public and major changes to the plan were not discussed publicly as required.
Personally - I’m not opposed to opening up a park to mountain biking, but I want to ensure that it is done in a smart and sustainable way that minimizes the danger to any hikers as well as the environment. I mean we are talking about riding bikes down hills not on the Canal Path
Opening a road to bisect Ellison Park- a road that has been closed for 50 years? Well that is just stupid and unnecessary.
While walking that trail recently I spoke to a young women - who summed it up best. I come to the park to get closer to nature not closer to cars.
If there is any good news here - there is an 18 month trial period after which this plan can be revisited.
There are at least two November elections between now and then.
Related posts:
The real long term plan, in my opinion, is to make the parks unpleasant enough to use that no one will care when they are sold off to the highest-bidding developers. Check the locations of the parks in this plan: waterfront with attractive vistas. Visit http://www.parkspreservation.org to read what you have never seen in any newspapers or media yet. The County has controlled the information flow on this issue.
What are parks about? Before they become entertainment centers that we enjoy to death, consider parks as a respite from our manufactured environment. They are set aside for safe walking, peace and quiet. How is it rational to open parks to use by fast machines that permit riders to slalom down hillsides and whip around tight, blind corners on narrow trails? Why is the County not concerned about liability claims? How will families, deaf people, those unable to move quickly, continue to use the parks if bikes take over the trails? The expectation is that other users will become intimidated, and stop going.
Is that what Monroe County voters want? We never got to say what we want; our choice and our voice was silenced. I’d like this to come up for a vote! There are many thousands of parks users who vastly outnumber the small, well-funded and politically-connected mountain biker group. Say what you want. Go to http://www.parkspreservation.org and use the link to legislators and County officials.
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