MD Parks in Danger of Closing

[Kalidurga]

I just received the following notice from my LBS mailing list:

Maryland Parks in Danger of Closure
Please Help Today!

It has come to my attention that due to budget considerations eight Maryland parks are under immediate risk of closure. Gambrill and Greenbrier are on that list. It is imperative that we as riders, voters, and activists contact our local officials to let them know that this is not acceptable. A good way to find your local delegate is to visit this website: http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/ It is too late for letters to be sent so use email and phone calls instead. Please do this TODAY as there is a lot at stake for anyone in the area who loves the out-of-doors.

Here is the list of endangered parks: Gambrill, Rosaryville, Greenbrier, New Germany , Rocks, Gathland , Washington Monument, Fort Frederick , South Mountain Complex, Smallwood and Pocomoke.

If the parks close we all loss big!

-Buildings will deteriorate and be subjected to vandalism

-Additional monies would have to be allocated to policing the parks to preclude unlawful activity.

-Miles and miles of hiking and cycling trails would be lost as well as scenic over looks and acres of family gathering areas.

Please take the time to send an email and forward this message to other park users.

Thanks

I've spoken to my LBS owner (Tom at The Bicycle Escape in Frederick) and he assures me that his source is a valid one. Tom apparently has connections in FredCo government, so I'm inclined to trust him. He urges anyone who can to contact our MD delegates ASAP. I, for one, spend a lot of time in some of those parks, so I'm getting on the phone right away. Please help!

[divingbiker]

Not Rosaryville! I'll send some e-mails tomorrow.

[Zen]

I ain't buyin' it. Smells like MTB'er nonsense. I was at a meeting with those guys, mountain biking is their only concern. The meeting was supposed to be about proposed bike trails in county parks (resulting in something similar to the w&od). They maneuvered the meeting to talking about nothing but mountain bike concerns.

What is the "South Mountain Complex"?
is that what they're calling Myersville now?

I just read the post on The Bike Site, this is totally unfounded.

[Kalidurga]

Actually, Zen, I got responses from two of the delegates I e-mailed about it that seem to imply that it might not be unfounded:

Dear Ms. Davis,

Thank you for contacting me. I will keep your comments in mind as I consider the various bills presented to the legislature for the special session.

Sincerely,

Del. Dan Morhaim, M.D

Dear Tammy,

Thank you for contacting me. First and foremost, it is a priority, especially in the upcounty, to retain and preserve open space. We (State of Maryland ) are in a bit of a fiscal crisis but I can assure you that I will do my best to ensure that the scenario you mentioned does not come about. I am a mountain biker as well and my family and I enjoy hiking through Seneca Creek Park .

I would never vote to close down any park unless for some dire consequence and the fiscal nature you speak of does not warrant such.

Thanks again and you can count on me.

Delegate Craig Rice

There was also a link to this Washington Post article at M.O.R.E.

Even if it is something that's unfounded or that's been blown out of proportion, voicing your opinion on even the possibility of something like this to you delegates cannot be a bad thing.

And the South Mountain Complex is most likely the area between Middletown and Boonsboro: Turner's Gap, Fox's Gap, where the Reno Monument is located, etc. Basically, the area in which the Battle of South Mountain was fought.

[Zen]

It's impossible to close Gambrill. people live there.
Greenbriar would never be closed either. The AT goes through there, and it's used by swimmers and campers as well. These guys live in their own MTB focused world.

[Kalidurga]

Closing the park doesn't necessarily mean closing the road through it. I'd bet that it means taking away funding so that it's no longer designated as a park and maintained as such. Which means that it's either left to sit and rot, full of trespassers and who knows what else, or it's opened up to developers.

I've been hiking those parks and visiting the historic monuments in them for 20years and I don't care if this is a hoax or some MTB-centric hoo-hah. If there's the slightest chance of the places I love and that my taxes pay to preserve being shut down, I'm gonna open my big mouth and let the powers-that-be know I'm not in favor of it.

[Zen]

From the Washington Post-

"Afterward, some lawmakers accused O'Malley of overdramatizing the situation to build support for passage of his plan in a high-risk special session that starts Monday."

That about sums it up.

[bmccasland]

Just a stray thought...
Does the local MTB community do anything to help build warm fuzzy relationships with the parks? Like volunteer to do trail maintenance, pick up litter, and any other list of odd jobs that parks desparately need volunteers to do because most are understaffed? Or do they just want to go for a ride and expect someone else to do it? Coming from a parks background it always helps if a user group volunteers at the park.

[7rider]

Just a stray thought...
Does the local MTB community do anything to help build warm fuzzy relationships with the parks? Like volunteer to do trail maintenance, pick up litter, and any other list of odd jobs that parks desparately need volunteers to do because most are understaffed? Or do they just want to go for a ride and expect someone else to do it? Coming from a parks background it always helps if a user group volunteers at the park.

There is absolutely a huge component of the local MTB community who put in many, many hours doing volunteer work, trail maintenence and such. Each area has a liaison to the park headquarters to coordinate voluteer efforts, schedule trail days, and - importantly - keep cyclists OFF the trails when conditions are bad.

I agree with Tam.....even if it is a cry-wolf, it's best for those in Annapolis to know that the state park system has a vocal, involved, user group.

[Kalidurga]

Does the local MTB community do anything to help build warm fuzzy relationships with the parks? Like volunteer to do trail maintenance, pick up litter, and any other list of odd jobs that parks desparately need volunteers to do because most are understaffed?

MORE, Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts:

The Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE) is a 501c (3) non-profit with almost 500 members representing thousands of area mountain bikers. With a 13 year history of trail advocacy, MORE maintains over 250 miles of natural surface trails in 25 parks around the region. Members contribute over 3,400 hours of volunteer labor annually, and have opened or constructed over 80 miles of new trail since 1995. The club also leads hundreds of rides each year at local parks, ranging from beginner to advanced levels.

MORE is committed to environmentally sound and socially responsible mountain biking, facilitating recreational trail cycling, educating about the sport of mountain biking, maintaining local trails, and advocating for increased multi-user trail access.

[bmccasland]

I'm glad to see they're involved, but it also helps to do Friends of the Park stuff in an area that isn't directly related to their specific area of interest. More of "for the good of the park" than keeping up trails they like to use. Of course ANY volunteer time is way better than no volunteer time.