Why Trails Benefit Our Community StL Post-Dispatch article

Why Trails Benefit our Community--5 Questions for Susan Trautman, Executive Director, St. Louis Great Rivers Greenway District.

Here's a great article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch discussing issues such as economic development benefits of trails and the value of a connected network. Several great examples are included.

Scotts Branch Trail

Work has begun on the first part of the Scotts Branch Trail. We are starting at Weaver St. and working our way back to Rollins Road with the 8' wide concrete trail.


Approximately 1/3 of the trail from Weaver to Rollins is completed. We have some grading and culvert pipe work to do and then, weather permitting, we should be able to complete the section from Weaver St. to Rollins Road by Dec. 1, 2011. Finish grading work, seeding and straw work will be ongoing into the Spring.

Why don't we remove snow from trails? Cross Country Skiing!

After each snowfall, someone usually calls in to request that we send in the snow removal team to plow and remove the snow from the trail. We then politely explain that while crews will clear the parking lots at the trail heads, it is our policy to not remove the snow from the trails.

Why?

After each snowfall, someone usually calls in to inquire if they can go cross country skiing on the trails. The answer to that question is "yes" and it is an activity that the department strongly encourages. Cross country skiing is a terrific way to enjoy Columbia's trails in the winter. As with all outdoor activities, cross country skiing can take your mind off the stresses of the daily grind and allow you to spend some quality time with family and friends or just enjoy a solo, quiet time on the trail. It's also a great low-impact aerobic activity, enabling you to burn up hundreds of calories per hour without straining joints such as ankles and knees.

The one concern of using the trails for cross country skiing is the gravel or aggregate surface of the trail. Most of Columbia's trails are gravel and if the snow isn't deep enough, the rocks could scratch and gouge your skis. So, be sure to inspect the trail prior to heading out. Usually, any snowfall of 4-inches or more will allow you to ski without many problems.

If you don't want to use the trails, all of Columbia's parks are open for cross country skiing with the exception of the two golf courses. Unlike the parks, the golf courses are closed during times of snow accumulation. The entry gates are locked and the parking lots are not cleared of snow.

The best parks for cross country skiing include Stephens Lake Park, Cosmo Park, Cosmo-Bethel Park, Albert-Oakland Park and of course many of the smaller neighborhood parks.

Rock Bridge State Park also has some designated cross country ski trails and information may be found in their latest "The Bridge" newsletter or by calling the RBSP office at 573-449-7402.

Park/Trail Restrooms Open for the Winter

On October 12, I wrote a rather long post regarding the closing of our facilities for the winter. That post explained all of the details regarding why and how facilities are closed. However, after a few Park Patrol members (and some of our staff!) kept asking questions, I felt we needed something short and sweet on which restrooms will be kept open from now until mid-April.

Only 4 restrooms will stay open this winter:

1) MKT Trailhead restroom at Scott Blvd
2) MKT Trailhead restroom at Forum Blvd
3) Stephens Lake Park restroom located between the Collins & Gordon Shelters
4) Cosmo Park restroom located between the Nickell and Lamb Shelters

This is a change from previous years and is a result of a cut-back in the department's budget. We usually keep more restrooms open including the exterior restroom at Stephens Lake Park's Riechmann Pavillion, the restroom at Comso-Bethel Park, the Dexheimer restroom in Cosmo park, and the restroom at Nifong Park. However, in an effort to help save city funds, we felt that closing these facilities would impact the fewest number of users as compared to any of the four restrooms that were kept open.

Hopefully, by this time next year, the City's financial situation will have improved enough that we will be able to open up a few more restrooms for the winter.

Trails and Parks Closed Due to Flooding

It's really going to be nice to write something that doesn't involve rain, but unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case for a while.

As of Monday morning, the MKT Trail, Bear Creek Trail and the Hinkson Creek Trail all have significant water over the trail. Users should not attempt to use these areas until the water has receded and park crews are able to assess and repair the damage.

Additionally, the Twin Lakes Recreation Area is closed due to water over the entry road. The Bear Creek Nature Trail, located in the back or north end of Cosmo Park, has water over multiple sections of the trail.

Unfortunately, this doesn't just impact public recreation areas. Flooding has temporarily closed the Perche Creek Golf Course including the driving range, batting cages and go-carts. Wilson's indoor soccer facility located off of Forum Blvd has several feet of water in the facility and appears to be closed until further notice.

Check out the video from KMIZ-TV's Brynn Gingras on the flood's impact.