By Scott Bartlebaugh, Advocacy Director
We’ve been part of an effort working with EBPRD staff on a concept for a bike flow trail at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park (East Bay Regional Park District) for the last year and it’s progressed to a point of needing some broader community participation.
“The Park staff has reviewed the proposal and done a number of preliminary studies. They liked what they saw so they are proceeding with more detailed environmental studies. However, the really crucial next step is in our hands – we need to show the EBRPD Board that there is broad community support for the trail.”
We ask that you take the following actions if you haven’t already. And if you have already, THANK YOU!
- Sign the petition at wildcatflowtrail.org
- Communicate this call to action to your networks and ask them to pass it along and recruit as many people possible to sign the petition. Ask them to reach out to friends, family, neighbors, and park supporters that aren’t mountain bikers. Broad support from a variety of stakeholders is important in addition to large numbers. If you are a member of another type of trail user group and can get that group to submit support for this trail concept that would be very helpful.
We are asking at this time that you don’t make a live public comment at the December 7th, EBPRD board meeting. At this point the advocacy ask of the board is to support continuing work on staff to develop this concept and move it forward. The leadership team for this effort would like to let the petition demonstrate the magnitude of support from the community while respecting the board meeting time and not overloading the public comment period. If the board does not direct staff to continue work on this trail concept then we may ask for the community to step up with public comment at the board meetings.
When you sign the petition you can also leave an email address for direct updates on the effort.
A Perspective on E-bikes – Food for Thought
Here’s a short read by long time mountain bike writer Zapata Espinoza with a perspective on e-bikes and how it relates to advocacy for mountain bikes. Give it a read and consider the perspective.
WHO’S AFRAID OF E-BIKES? – Mountain Bike Action Magazine
Public Comment Calendar
If you’d like to be added to a public comment opportunity email list, send a message to advocacy@btceb.org. We will message out via email on particular public comment opportunities.
- Walnut Creek Parks Recreation and Open Space Commission
December 6th meeting to be cancelled – Look for a possible January 3rd
Item: Lime Ridge Flow Trail / Trail Committee Recommendations
EBRPD Public Meeting Schedules
- EBRPD Board Meeting
December 7th, 6pm - EBRPD Board Meeting
Tuesday December 21st, 1pm - EBRPD Board Meeting
Tuesday January 4th, 1pm - EBRPD Board Meeting
Tuesday January, 18th 1pm
