Who: You.
What: Help save/create a trail.
When: Now.
Where: Ben Hawes Park - Owensboro, KY.
Why: Because things have gotten silly.
How: Spare a few minutes of your time to send an email.
Back in 2005 local volunteers began developing and maintaining multi-use single-track trails at Ben Hawes Park in Owensboro, Ky. Over the course of the last few years an initiative was started to improve the quality by creating a flowy, sustainable, contour, gateway trail that adheres to the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) standards. In the fall/winter of 2008 we submitted a Recreational Trials Program (RTP) Grant to help obtain this goal. Shortly thereafter the park was closed as a result of the devastating 2009 Ice Storm.
The single-track trails remain closed to this very day. Some fire road and double track trails have been reopened. However, these trails do not meet the needs and desires of the user groups.
Meanwhile, Ben Hawes was identified as a successful 2009 RTP Grant recipient, Unfortunately, the grant project has been plagued with multiple challenges, has been bogged down with red tape and has experienced several delays by our Federal, State and City Governments.
In the last couple of months the project appeared to be gaining momentum and heading in the right direction until this latest issue.....
There's a clause in the Kentucky RTP Grant terms and conditions stating that the recipient is obligated to keep the trails open for public use in perpetuity (forever). Owensboro's management team has determined that this obligation is not in the City's best interest and will not be going forward with the grant. The City of Owensboro is not willing to accept these funds until an official long term plan has been established. (Evidently, there's a slight chance that the city could potentially develop the property. In the event the land would not be used for recreational purposes.)
Fortunately, The Parks Director believes in this project and is developing an alternate plan to continue with the project in house without the assistance of the grant. If approved, this alternate plan will take much longer delaying the project for at least another full season. That would make three years without our local trail. This is unacceptable. Trial construction season is upon us. We must act now and we need your help.
I respectfully ask that you spare a minute of your valuable time to call and/or write our Owensboro City decision makers. Tactfully voice your opinion and kindly explain how important it is that this project be given a higher priority.
You might express how much you miss it or let the know that you would visit Owensboro more often if there was a quality trail. Explain, how tired you are of traveling two hours away to hike or bike the nearest quality trail system. I don't care if you tell them how much you hated it but it was better than nothing. Just tell them something.
Lets not allow countless volunteer hours and years of advocacy efforts go to waste.
We need your help and we need it now! Please call or email the following:
Mayor Ron Payne
E-Mail Address: mayor@owensboro.org
Phone Number: 270-687-8561
Mayor Pro-Tem Charlie Castlen
E-Mail Address: castlencha@owensboro.org
Phone Number: 270-687-8566
Commissioner John Kazlauskas
E-Mail Address: kazlauskasjm@owensboro.org
Phone Number: 270-687-8563
Commissioner Candance Brake
E-Mail Address: brakecc@owensboro.org
Phone Number: 270-687-8565
Commissioner David Johnson
E-Mail Address: johnsondl@owensboro.org
Phone Number: 270-687-8564
http://www.owensboro.org/government/contact/officials
Thank you,
Richard Dixon
270/852-3747
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