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Forest Park Single Track Committee Meets Today
 The committee formed by the Portland Parks Bureau to explore increased singletrack in Forest Park will meet today (Thu, January 14th) to discuss options developed by committee members. The plan laid out by Northwest Trail Alliance includes sharing of some existing trails not currently available to bikes, modifying existing firelanes to reduce grade and trail width, and building new connector trails.
The committee hopes to find common ground and make formal recommendations to the Parks Bureau within the next few months. "We're hopeful that trail sharing in some form will be endorsed by the committee," says Tom Archer, President of Northwest Trail Alliance. "It's the only action that would increase cyclists' access to single track in Forest Park in the short term. The other options will take time to design and implement, and should be part of the larger plan. All users stand to benefit from effectively managing off-road cycling in the park. Now is the time to act." Committee meetings are open to the public. A schedule can be found on the project website.
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Trail Development Partnership Program Launched
If successful, a January grant application for a brand new single track
building machine will form the nucleus of a new trail building
partnership between Northwest Trail Alliance and more than a dozen
government agencies and mountain biking organizations. The Single Track ST240, built specifically for trail construction,
comes with a price tag of $94,000 (including accessories, closed
trailer, and operator training), but the majority of the funds would be
covered by the grant from Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
(OPRD), which would be awarded in May 2010. By regulation, 20 percent
of the cost of the project must come from other sources, and Northwest
Trail Alliance project lead Joe Rykowski hopes donations from business
supporters will help make up for a good chunk of that sum.
"I believe we need to do more to prove we are a resource dedicated to
building the trails we want to ride - not simply asking land managers
to build trails for us," says Rykowski. Northwest Trail Alliance's
board green-lighted Portland-area trail builder Rykowski's proposal in
October. According to Rykowski, partnerships will form the other
component of the program. Already, he has gathered letters of support
from the BLM and Oregon Parks and Recreation, and envisions an
arrangement whereby the machine and trail building expertise will be
shared amongst a score of regional agencies and mountain biking
organizations.
[More...]
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Cross Crusade Organizers Weigh In with Financial Support
When Vivo
Productions Inc., organizer of the popular Cross Crusade Cyclocross Series, recently joined 1 % For the Planet, they chose to make a generous $1,100 donation to Northwest Trail Alliance. Earlier this week, in a message to the members of the Oregon Bike Race Association (OBRA), Cross Crusade Executive Director Brad Ross lauded our organization's
"renewed energy," our advocacy efforts for more off-road cycling
opportunities in Portland, and our trail stewardship efforts around the region. In his letter, Brad encouraged his fellow OBRA riders to "step up your support for Northwest Trail Alliance." Thank you Brad! Read the full extend of the letter and a first reaction by NWTA's President Tom Archer here. |
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Upcoming Events: Mark Your Calendar
Mon 1/25 (5-7pm) - Powell Butte Open House: Get your voice heard!
The final Open House where area residents and park users can view and comment on the proposed trail plan for Powell Butte Nature Park. Portland Parks & Recreation is currently considering a proposal to expand the wildlife area and close the Pioneer Orchard
Trail - one of the more popular biking and hiking trails on Powell Butte. This is alarming news for off-road cyclists and hikers alike and we urge you to attend this Open House to get your voice heard.
Tue 1/26 (6:30pm) - NWTA General Meeting & Social: Mount St Helens
This year
marks the 30th anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount St
Helens. Special speakers at the January meeting will include National Volcanic Monument Manager Tom Mulder, Backcountry Trail Director Gary Walker, as
well as Hailey Heath from the Mt St Helens Institute. Great opportunity to get an update about the trails and riding opportunities on our backyard volcano and meet our trail stewardship partners.
Note: Several of our program committees are planning to meet before our general
meeting. Want to know what we're up to? Come by early and pull up a
chair at one of the committee tables and find out!
Tue 2/23 (6:30pm) - NWTA General Meeting & Social: Portland Parks Trail Forum
The February
general meeting is one that all of us are looking forward to. Guest speaker Emily Roth, Natural Resources Planner with Portland Parks & Recreation, will provide an update about mountain
biking and off-road cycling opportunities in Portland city parks, including
Forest Park and Powell Butte. Q&A to follow. This is an incredible chance
to meet face-to-face with a top Portland Parks official and converse on the topic of mountain biking in
the city. Don't miss it!
Sun 2/28 (11am-3pm) - Portland Bike Swap Meet: Reserve your vendor space now!
Got some great bike stuff to sell? Or are you looking to find the best
deals on bike related merchandise? From the smallest part, to high-end
bikes, to various bike crafts, you'll find it at our annual Bike Swap Meet, the largest event of its kind in the Portland area.Sellers: Book your space before Feb 14 and save money!
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