Post by kylekirkman on Aug 12, 2009 21:04:34 GMT -5
Long Term Plans for MTB development, creating worldclass facilities in Southwest Indiana.....
Observations and notes from Ben Blitch.....
Harmonie State Park
The Plan
Focus your energy on riding the system and finding the three worst mud/flow issues. Take hand pruners and a folding saw on all of your rides and cut back the brush/ deadfall
Investigate opening trail #4 and #2 to multi use travel (Hike/Bike)
Ride it and view if it is good to have bikes on the trail
Adds mileage and allows access from the campground.
Put on trainings held by Kyle for Mountain Bike Patrol
One Day Classroom
One Day outside with the Heli Landing (Huge “Cool” Factor)
Find a promoter for short track XC races to raise money for creating a professional plan for the park’s trail systems
This may help raise local awareness and pull folks to the system
Hire a Professional Trail Builders Association member to create a professional plan and design that includes input from the local township (New Harmony) – Potential FUNDING Source
Try to design/build at least a 25 mile trail system (the mileage seems to be a good number to draw regionally)
Rough Cost for the plan should not exceed $15,000
Grant sources coupled with money raised from races (Bikes Belong Grant?)
Apply for grants to hire a trail crew at the park to build trained by PTBA member
Grant should be between $75,000 and $150,000
Buy a trailbuilding machine (SK500 or Mini Excavator) to build out projects $15-20K (written into the grant)
Once a consensus has grown (visible user increase), build a pumptrack/skills area at the campground, then build a bike park at the current mt. bike trailhead
This will set the park apart from other regional mountain bike destinations in the area and will establish a welcome base of customers
Bike Park could potentially be a managed facility like the pool and raise even more funds
Once the trail system is complete hold festivals to raise money and awareness for the trail system
Increase revenue by selling out the campground every weekend in the summer rather than just five weekends
Burdette Park
Approach BMX crowd about creating a progressive riding area near the track to help entice interest in the race track. The progression park could be unmanaged and open regularly. It could include a pumptrack, practice gates, and a small dirt jump area
The park could possibly want to expand into a very large bike park complex of which the BMX track was just a component as well
Seems to be the most established riding spot in the entire area and probably should get the least amount of effort to get access, but is a potential spot
Angel Mounds
Wait until the greenway is in place, then move towards establishing a skills area that is suited to the trail system where the greenway interfaces with the mountain bike trails
Lincoln Ave. Park ( Evansville State Hospital, City Parks Property)
Seems to be the best location due to proximity to your house to create a pumptrack/skills area in the shade right next to the walking trails.
Landscaping will be key in making this amenity fit the surrounding landscape
This could act as a model for facilities like this in other parks around town
May be the best prospect for hiring me to come back in and get something on the ground in a matter of only a couple weeks.
Get approval, then you could apply for a Bikes Belong Grant or ask Gillis to sponsor the project
Rough budget for my time ($10000 for the two weeks) also would take about $5K in materials that may be able to be donated
Ask city to donate machine and operator to place the material
The bonus of getting it knocked out quickly is that the landscaping could then be set and it would not look like a continuous work zone. You would also then be able to ride more and think about it less.
Observations and notes from Ben Blitch.....
Harmonie State Park
The Plan
Focus your energy on riding the system and finding the three worst mud/flow issues. Take hand pruners and a folding saw on all of your rides and cut back the brush/ deadfall
Investigate opening trail #4 and #2 to multi use travel (Hike/Bike)
Ride it and view if it is good to have bikes on the trail
Adds mileage and allows access from the campground.
Put on trainings held by Kyle for Mountain Bike Patrol
One Day Classroom
One Day outside with the Heli Landing (Huge “Cool” Factor)
Find a promoter for short track XC races to raise money for creating a professional plan for the park’s trail systems
This may help raise local awareness and pull folks to the system
Hire a Professional Trail Builders Association member to create a professional plan and design that includes input from the local township (New Harmony) – Potential FUNDING Source
Try to design/build at least a 25 mile trail system (the mileage seems to be a good number to draw regionally)
Rough Cost for the plan should not exceed $15,000
Grant sources coupled with money raised from races (Bikes Belong Grant?)
Apply for grants to hire a trail crew at the park to build trained by PTBA member
Grant should be between $75,000 and $150,000
Buy a trailbuilding machine (SK500 or Mini Excavator) to build out projects $15-20K (written into the grant)
Once a consensus has grown (visible user increase), build a pumptrack/skills area at the campground, then build a bike park at the current mt. bike trailhead
This will set the park apart from other regional mountain bike destinations in the area and will establish a welcome base of customers
Bike Park could potentially be a managed facility like the pool and raise even more funds
Once the trail system is complete hold festivals to raise money and awareness for the trail system
Increase revenue by selling out the campground every weekend in the summer rather than just five weekends
Burdette Park
Approach BMX crowd about creating a progressive riding area near the track to help entice interest in the race track. The progression park could be unmanaged and open regularly. It could include a pumptrack, practice gates, and a small dirt jump area
The park could possibly want to expand into a very large bike park complex of which the BMX track was just a component as well
Seems to be the most established riding spot in the entire area and probably should get the least amount of effort to get access, but is a potential spot
Angel Mounds
Wait until the greenway is in place, then move towards establishing a skills area that is suited to the trail system where the greenway interfaces with the mountain bike trails
Lincoln Ave. Park ( Evansville State Hospital, City Parks Property)
Seems to be the best location due to proximity to your house to create a pumptrack/skills area in the shade right next to the walking trails.
Landscaping will be key in making this amenity fit the surrounding landscape
This could act as a model for facilities like this in other parks around town
May be the best prospect for hiring me to come back in and get something on the ground in a matter of only a couple weeks.
Get approval, then you could apply for a Bikes Belong Grant or ask Gillis to sponsor the project
Rough budget for my time ($10000 for the two weeks) also would take about $5K in materials that may be able to be donated
Ask city to donate machine and operator to place the material
The bonus of getting it knocked out quickly is that the landscaping could then be set and it would not look like a continuous work zone. You would also then be able to ride more and think about it less.
