TRAIL PLAN AND LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The recreation department in the town has recently approved its master plan for our favourite municipal park, Mateway Park. If you have a chance to look at this document it is available online, see my previous entry for the address.

Below is the text of a letter to the local paper, the Mercury, which summarizes my reaction to the plan and the reality of the way the park is currently being mistreated by motorized vehicles.

The recent release of the development plan for Mateway Park by the town's Recreation Department was a reassuring and welcome document for those of use who routinely use the park on foot. It was further reassuring to see that, after the major facility, the trails are the most used and valued parts of the park. As the leader of Renfrew's recreational walking group, The Kick and Push Pedestrian Society and as a regular dog walker at Mateway, I am pleased at this. I think the Department shows real foresight in looking at ways to further improve the area, especially the ideas of an outdoor cross-fit area and improved accessibility for wheelchair users and less mobile others. This really acknowledges both ends of the ability spectrum, as it does of the importance of recreational walking for a healthy community.

For these plans to work, the Department is going to have to address what I see as a major obstacle for us foot-powered users. This is the night-time use of the trails by various motorized vehicles. In recent months the few yahoos who are unaware of the purpose of these trails have chewed up and damaged trails, making them unsafe for pedestrians. With the most recent snowfall, another group of 4-wheeling truckers have utterly destroyed the trails for walkers, skiers or snow-shoers. I am disappointed that this inappropriate use by a few makes it unusable by so many. Its not as if there aren't kilometres of proper seasonal roads which are open to motorized vehicles.

The signage in and around the park is either absent, illegible or, in places, where the signs are so old, seems to approve motorized vehicles. There are very few obstacles to motorized vehicle travel on the trails. A few open barriers which would not affect pedestrians would go a long way to discouraging vehicles. Hopefully, there is something which would get the message across to motorized vehicles without having to rely on any enforcement or fines. There is not much use to imagining a great park if the property's managers allow uncontrolled misuse that discourages intended users from enjoying the trails.

Yours , on the journey,

Ray

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet

Thich Nhat Hahn

MATEWAY MASTER PLAN AND WALKERS

This week the town of Renfrew released its and much-anticipated master plan for everybody's favourite park, Mateway. This park provides facilities and programming for a wide swath of our community, walkers can be pleased that there are some new improvements coming their way. This plan does not replace the much broader community plan that was released in 2009, rather it focuses specifically on Mateway Park. The Town has earned our praise and support.

The plan is based on a survey and study that was completed over the past year or so, which consulted citizens from all age groups. From a walkers perspective, the outdoor portions of the park were identified as being primarily used by walkers. The use of the trails was more than half of the access to the park, only slightly behind the use of the interior space, and hockey arena. In general the public is satisfied or very satisfied with the trails. There were some complaints, however these were not identified in the study, beyond a few general complaints. These are addressed in the proposed improvements.

The first of the improvements will be trail maps, signage and night time lighting. Continuing the theme of accessibility, there will be improvements to the trails below the hill making them much more usable for wheelchair users. There will be new picnic tables installed, creating a kind of outdoor dining room facility. There will be improved access and parking on the East side of the trails, where one accesses from Opeongo Drive. There is one other addition to the park for walkers and outdoor fitness people. In the North corner, beside where the soccer fields are, there will be a CrossFit workout area developed. There was some discussion of an indoor walking track, but this is something for the future.

It is clear from the report that the town is paying special attention to environmental concerns. There will be more recycling bins available. More importantly, the park will protect certain areas as conservation. Walkers can feel satisfaction at these developments. In combination with the parallel improvements all along the K&P and Millennium trails, we will have excellent outdoor walking facilities.

The Report is viewable here

http://www.town.renfrew.on.ca/2015%20Recreation/Proposed%20Master%20Plan%20Renfrew%20Presentation%20October%2022%202015.pdf 

(PDF 11.MB)

You will need to rotate the presentation.

Yours , on the journey,

Ray

Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet

Thich Nhat Hahn