Trail Tale Trilogy, II — The Visionaries

Elections bring new energy and ideas on all levels of government. In the best cases, this synergy transcends jurisdictional borders and singular purposes to benefit a multitude of interests So it was a pleasant surprise to read last week that two new members of the Baltimore County Council plan to organize a citizens’ advisory committee to recommend ways to improve infrastructure to make the county more bikable and walkable.

While similar panels exist on all levels of government to advocate trails for recreational and quality of life resources, the comments of David Marks, new to the 5th District, were particularly encouraging.

“Trails can boost tourism and strengthen our local economy,” Marks said in announcing the proposal he submitted along with new Councilman Tom Quirk.

In the world of sports marketing, we rejoice when elected officials acknowlege the nexus of sports/recreation facilites and economic development. We’re even happier when they use their influence to advance the agenda.

This extra push is coming at a time when Baltimore County already celebrates the success of one of the most popular trails in the region — the Torrey Brown — and eagerly anticipates the opening of another system in the spring — Robert E. Lee Park, at the north end of the city’s Jones Falls Trail.

A dog owner in my neighborhood has been regularly scouting (let’s not call it trespassing) the progress of this project. She grew up in the area and lamented as the city-owned reservoir (known as the region’s greatest unauthorized dog park) fell into dangerous disrepair.

When the property transferred to the county a few years ago, plans to restore and improve the trail system were developed. From what this reconnoiterer tells me, the transformation is astonishing. When it reopens this summer, the multi-use public facility with its hiking/biking trails and canine corner will be the newest gem in Baltimore County’s parks and recs system.

But it will be more than that. Connected to the Jones Falls Trail (and also a light rail stop) it becomes a destination for visitors. Hopefully, it will also be a venue for staging popular outdoor events.

These two trail systems are only a small part of the potential Baltimore County has for integrating a cycling/pedestrian network into transportation/recreation/economic development. An old trolley line in Catonsville could eventually reach Ellicott City. Portions of the old WB&A where the light rail connects Glen Burnie to Baltimore have parallel paths that have been eyed for bicycles. 

What Baltimore County enjoys is proximity to the city, and integration with the bicycle-friendly light rail system.  What they also enjoy is a good relationship with City bicycle planners and their long range plans.
 

AND AS LONG AS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT VISIONARIES . . .  we need to give a shout out to our Governor, Martin O’Malley.  In early 2010, he released (in conjunction with MDOT) a vision for Maryland trails as part of the Smart, Green and Growing program.  In addition to mapping the trails already in existence and identifying where links had to be completed, the Governor outlined his priorities.  As any task-oriented person knows, the way to get things moving is to prioritize them. In ranking his “Top Eight,” the Governor looked for missing links that would complete other segments and connect communities.  Here are the ones selected in February:

• Anacostia Trail will connect the Anacostia Trail in Prince George’s County to the Anacostia River Trail in Washington, D.C. (two miles)  (That’s underway now, and nearly complete.)

• Little Paint Branch Trail Connector will connect the Paint Branch and Little Paint Branch Trails in Prince George’s County (about one mile);

• Henson Creek Trail will connect communities to the Branch Avenue Metro Station in Prince George’s County (about three miles);

• Patuxent Crossing is a new bridge over the Patuxent River that will connect the West Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, Baltimore & Annapolis Trail and BWI) Trail in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties; (Folks in Anne Arundel County have been waiting on that one for years.)

• BWI Connector will connect the BWI Trail in Anne Arundel County to Baltimore City’s trail system (about three miles); (Yippee!  I used to see parts of this from the light rail and wonder why it couldn’t be connected.  That would make it possible to pedal from Annapolis to the stadium — if you have the energy.)

• Jones Falls Trail will be a 10-mile trail, built in phases, that will connect central Baltimore City to Baltimore County; (The Mt. Washington/Cylburn phase will be complete this year.)

• Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway Trail System will cross the Susquehanna River and connect Harford and Cecil counties; and

• Big Slackwater Gap is a project to reconstruct a three-mile section of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath in Washington County.(All hail the Feds and their Stimulous largess!  This groundbreaking took place in August.)

And while we’re crediting visionaries, let’s throw our arms around DNR, who coordinated a series of regional roundtables to hear what local activitists wanted to see in their trails.  This cultimated in the first statewide Trails Summit in October.  That, in turn, put stakeholders together in a network to develop a comprehensive plan that would bring visitors to Maryland (including those who pedal in from Pennsylvania and Delaware) and serve residents as transportation and recreational facilities.

Furthermore, Governor O’Malley authorized  the creation of a new Trails Development Office in DNR to coordinate these resources “to enable the kind of progress that occurs when governments, stakeholders and everyday citizens work together.”  In the words of the Governor, Maryland trails will be “second to none.”

The speaker for that Summit was to have been the original DNR visionary, Dr. Torrey Brown — he of the eponymous trail.  However, Dr. Brown was unable to attend.  It would have been gratifying for him to see how his then-controversial determination to build a trail along a deserted rail bed in Baltimore County has blossomed into a statewide movement that benefits so many.  We suspect, however, that there will be many more opportunities for him to see this initiative progress. 

It will be fun to see how far, and how fast, our Governor’s to-do list will carry the trails movement.

A Time for Trailblazers

My equestrian friend Chris, who joined me on my first “Here 2 Play” adventure more than a year ago, was boundlessly enthusiastic about the recent Trails Summit hosted by the DNR in Linthicum.

Chris was there on behalf of the Annapolis Rec Board, but also to learn about equestrian-friendly trails in the state.  She was pleased to see that her horse friends were well represented by such advocacy groups as TROT (Trail Riders of Today) and EPIC (Equestrian Partners In Conservation.)

In fact, there were many interest groups attending, including representatives from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware.  A major focus of this pow wow was not just building new trails, but the most productive and expedient means to connect existing ones.

Our neighbors to the north already share two wildly popular multi-use trails with us.  The 20 mile Torrey Brown (North Central) in Baltimore County blends seamlessly into the York County Heritage Trail, which takes it another 21 miles beyond the Mason-Dixon line into to the city/county seat. 

Another of the most popular rail trails between the two states is the Great Allegheny Passage, of which the Allegheny Highlands Trail is the Maryland segment from Cumberland.  Together with the C&O Canal towpath, this creates a scenic route along old transportation routes from Georgetown to Pittsburgh.

Our friends to the east would like to see some similar connectors that would access Fair Hill, the 5633 acre DNR land preserve with trails and equestrian facilities.  Fair Hill, once the property of the DuPont family, is popular with mountain bikers and hosts many cycling as well as equestrian events.  Fair Hill shares borders with both Pennsylvania and Delaware and is popular with outdoor enthusiasts from all three states.

Virginia also sent a representative to the summit, who applauded Maryland’s initiative to collaborate with neighboring states and pledged participation.

The Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE) took an active role in the conversation.  Maryland, with its rugged terrain and vast expanses of public land, is a favorite destination for regional riders. MORE representatives are eyeing connectors between some of the existing trails and the virtually untouched state parks in Western Maryland.  They are also interested in identifying new/old trails in newly acquired conservation districts like the South River Greenway in Anne Arundel County.

The exciting thing about the summit is that it brought together all types of trail users and the conservation interests who support them as a means to promote stewardship of public lands.

Trails in Maryland have come a long way since the mid-1980′s when the abandoned North Central railbed was envisioned as a recreational amenity.  DNR Secretary John Griffin, who addressed the conference, reminisced about the difficulties in overcoming NIMBY opposition to a linear park adjacent to private property. Today, of course, the North Central — renamed to honor the visionary former DNC Secretary Dr. Torrey Brown — is immensely popular with neighbors and visitors alike.  One of the questions frequently raised was “how can we connect to the Torrey Brown?”

Secretary Griffin reconfirmed his personal commitment to expanding and connecting the DNR’s 1,000 mile system.  He unveiled a new DRN website which provides a data base of existing DNR trails and will eventually include other state, county and municipal trail information.

Of the 200+ in attendance, some were interested in trails as basic transportation, others as recreational and fitness facilities.  There were those who see them as linear parks and a means for preserving open space, and many who appreciate their appeal to the visitor industry and our heritage.  All had appreciation for the positive environmental and conservation impact that trails have in Maryland.  That was the common denominator for the very diverse assemblage in Linthicum.

As for “Here 2 Play,” we celebrate trails as one of the many sports venues that our state has to offer visitors who love the outdoors and spend their time (and money) here.

Appreciating Assets

When touting Maryland as a sports mecca we first tick off the most obvious assets — our central location, transportation and hospitality infrastructure, and top quality facilities and programs that make us an ideal destination.  All are important factors in making us a desirable choice for hosting major events and tournaments that attract spectators, families and friends.

Yet many of our most valuable venues, also responsible for attracting visitors, group activities, and even events, are the ones we were blessed with through geography, climate, and concern for quality of life.

It is our natural resources — the parks, the rivers, the bay and the ocean, that give Maryland tremendous character and appeal for all lovers of the outdoors.  Field and stream sports and the rugged individual challenges that take place year round are being given an additional boost — and promotion — through a partnership with Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources and North Face, a retailer specializing in adventurous outdoor wear.

Credit First Lady Michelle Obama with drawing attention to the problem of childhood obsesity and the importance of outdoor exercise for health and fitness.

This, in turn, inspired North Face to initiate the “Explore Your Parks” program, a partnership with the Maryland and Virginia State Parks, American Hiking Society and The National Park Trust, to encourage families to get outdoors and enjoy state parks in the Washington, DC, area this fall.

Maryland State Parks have been recognized as having some of the top trails in the United States for viewing fall foliage, and in 2009 alone, they had more than 10.1 million visits on their 780 miles of trails, which includes paved surfaces like the Allegheny Highlands, to the crushed stone of the Torrey Brown to the rugged footpaths in the Appalachians. 

When it comes to trails, Maryland does have it all, including water routes for canoes and kayaks.  But this partnership with North Face, and the energy of Superintendant of State Parks Nita Sentina, is prompting a greater emphasis on these assets as a Maryland attraction.

Now there is an online site, and an iPhone App that highlight 10 trails—five in Maryland and five in Virginia–within easy driving distance of Washington.

On Saturday, the “Explore Your Parks” program will kick off in Gaithersburg at the Seneca Creek State Park from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. with family friendly activities and guided hikes. 

Ms Sentina is also planning a Trail Summit in October to initiate a non-profit trails coalition similar to ones in Virginia and Pennsylvania.  This comes after a series of regional meetings to determine what trails already exist, which new ones are on the horizon, how they are used, and how they can be connected into a statewide plan and regional attraction.  Guest speaker will be the legendary Dr. Torrey Brown, former secretary of DNR whose vision was responsible for the popular rail trail in Baltimore County that now bears his name.

Trail advocates and outdoor explorers are heartened by the interest being shown by a top state official in these hidden gems.  There is a direct correlation between the natural assets in Maryland parks and the visitor industry and we are pleased it is getting more notice. 

The good folks in the “trail towns” (another clever promotional idea we borrowed from our friends in Pennsylvania) along the C&O and the Great Allegheny Passage will tell you of the economic rewards they reap from catering to the thousands of trail explorers who pass through.

Good business, better health, exhilarating entertainment — all good reasons why Maryland is Here to Play.