News
Freeing Forest Park: A Historic Moment in Ongoing Saga
October 23, 2012
By Jon Pheanis, NWTA President
Portland, Ore. - This month, City Commissioner and Portland Parks & Recreation head, Nick Fish, released a statement that the city will proceed with singletrack improvements in Forest Park. This really is a big success and the result of our ongoing campaign to "Free Forest Park." NWTA advocacy director, Tom Archer, sums-up the improvements in his article available on our homepage. Click here to check it out.
Over the years, we've expanded our efforts to build capacity for mountain biking throughout the region, through different programs, places and events. But we've never given up our focus on our region's largest urban forest, Forest Park. NWTA (previously PUMP) has been championing more access in the park for more than a decade, and as recently as this summer, the city had committed to making some improvements to Firelane 5; but still, nothing.
Then, earlier this month, NWTA met with city representatives in an effort to get the ball rolling again. Commissioner Fish's letter and message is the result of our capacity-building strategy, your persistence and dedication. Without the proof and substance to support our mission, our calls for more access in Forest Park would continue to be ignored.
Improvements to an existing mountain bike trail may seem like a small step. But meeting outcomes also included talk of a larger, more extensive network of singletrack in the park. We're getting closer to freeing Forest Park, and creating more mountain biking access. But we need to step up our work, prove to the city and the community why we need more mountain biking trails and we need your help to spread this message.
For all of you who have said you'll be there ready to pitch-in the day we get the green light: get those shovels ready.
Other news: Greenlight to spend $60,000 grant funds for equipment
(October 17, 2012), Northwest Trail Alliance received notice to proceed on spending about $60,000 of its 2012 Recreation Trails Program grant award. The NWTA relies on membership dues to help pay for the matching portion of grants like the Recreation Trail Program (RTP) grant. If you're not a member JOIN and we can put those membership dollars to work for you by acquiring additional equipment for trail construction (supporting the mountain biking community).
This recent allotment will be purchasing additional trail construction equipment (including a Ditch Witch SK755, Canycom tracked carrier, chainsaw/brushcutter, portable winches, and other goodies...) These tools to be purchased are supplemental trail construction equipment to support our existing Trail Development Partnership Program.
This equipment is available for use by trained NWTA volunteers on approved trail projects as well as for rental directly to our partners for trail projects. For more information on this program: www.nw-trail.org/TDPP .
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