December 7, 2006
More interest was expressed in non-motorized outdoor recreational pursuits than motorized ones during a county comprehensive recreation planning session at the Park Falls Public Library Nov. 28. But the small group attending agreed that efforts toward a recreation plan should include finding a consensus among all users of public recreation lands.
The session, along with others held in Prentice and Phillips, were conducted by UW-Extension Community Resource Development Director Gail Huycke, with assistance from UW-Stevens Point student Megan Fuhrman. The final plan is expected to be presented to the full county board in February.
Huycke said a public meeting, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 11 at the Price County Courthouse, will allow county board members, county committees, employees and the public to review recreation preferences and ideas gathered at the three planning sessions.
She said the Jan. 11 meeting will focus on "prioritizing" various suggestions from the public. Following that meeting, letters then will be sent to all municipalities providing citizens with an opportunity to add to the plan that may have been overlooked up to that point.
Several in attendance expressed concerns about the availability funding for recreational development after Huycke explained that a principal reason to develop a comprehensive recreation plan was to meet eligibility requirements for Department of Natural Resources grants.
Anthony Bondioli, Price County Obesity Prevention Grant Coordinator, expressed concerns about relative lack of opportunities for non-motorized recreational use of public lands in the county, compared to those available for motorized use. He indicated that work being done through the obesity prevention grant could improve chances for funding for such facilities as non-motorized trails.
Regarding descriptions of motorized-use trails as being also for non-motorized, multi-use, some of the participants cited hazards to hikers, bicyclists and others due to lack of enforcement of the law motorized recreational vehicles operators must slow down when approaching pedestrians and other non-motorized users.
One participant who indicated an interest primarily in motorized use said there were ample areas in the county where people could enjoy hiking and other non-motorized activities without having to contend with motorized recreational traffic.
Another whose interest was primarily non-motorized use disagreed, saying there were insufficient designated areas where people could engage in non-motorized recreation without the hazards, noise and nighttime lights from motorized recreational vehicles.
The Tuscobia Trail, west of Park Falls, was cited as one of the trails designated as multi-use, but that is used mostly by ATV riders and snowmobilers. Some of those operators pay little attention to the law requiring that they slow down when approaching non-motorized users, according to citizens.
[full article]
More interest was expressed in non-motorized outdoor recreational pursuits than motorized ones during a county comprehensive recreation planning session at the Park Falls Public Library Nov. 28. But the small group attending agreed that efforts toward a recreation plan should include finding a consensus among all users of public recreation lands.
The session, along with others held in Prentice and Phillips, were conducted by UW-Extension Community Resource Development Director Gail Huycke, with assistance from UW-Stevens Point student Megan Fuhrman. The final plan is expected to be presented to the full county board in February.
Huycke said a public meeting, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 11 at the Price County Courthouse, will allow county board members, county committees, employees and the public to review recreation preferences and ideas gathered at the three planning sessions.
She said the Jan. 11 meeting will focus on "prioritizing" various suggestions from the public. Following that meeting, letters then will be sent to all municipalities providing citizens with an opportunity to add to the plan that may have been overlooked up to that point.
Several in attendance expressed concerns about the availability funding for recreational development after Huycke explained that a principal reason to develop a comprehensive recreation plan was to meet eligibility requirements for Department of Natural Resources grants.
Anthony Bondioli, Price County Obesity Prevention Grant Coordinator, expressed concerns about relative lack of opportunities for non-motorized recreational use of public lands in the county, compared to those available for motorized use. He indicated that work being done through the obesity prevention grant could improve chances for funding for such facilities as non-motorized trails.
Regarding descriptions of motorized-use trails as being also for non-motorized, multi-use, some of the participants cited hazards to hikers, bicyclists and others due to lack of enforcement of the law motorized recreational vehicles operators must slow down when approaching pedestrians and other non-motorized users.
One participant who indicated an interest primarily in motorized use said there were ample areas in the county where people could enjoy hiking and other non-motorized activities without having to contend with motorized recreational traffic.
Another whose interest was primarily non-motorized use disagreed, saying there were insufficient designated areas where people could engage in non-motorized recreation without the hazards, noise and nighttime lights from motorized recreational vehicles.
The Tuscobia Trail, west of Park Falls, was cited as one of the trails designated as multi-use, but that is used mostly by ATV riders and snowmobilers. Some of those operators pay little attention to the law requiring that they slow down when approaching non-motorized users, according to citizens.
[full article]
