IMPORTANT! Corner Canyon MTB Trails

[Iceaxe]

Share This Post If You Want More MTB Trails in Draper.

Hello mountain bikers of Salt Lake Valley, now is your chance to voice your opinion on 40+ miles of new trails!

The Draper City Council has been meeting all year to come up with the Open Space Master Plan for the expansion of the Corner Canyon trail network. We believe that about 80% of the trail users are cyclists. Because of the huge economic, health, accessibility and quality of life benefits that cycling has, future development should reflect that opportunity. Cyclists are such a large percentage of the overall user group, that we should be planning to build MORE bikes-only, one way downhill trails (Rush or Maple Hollow type trails). Furthermore, user conflicts are a problem at Corner Canyon and having bikes-only, one direction trails is the one thing that has been shown through past efforts to be extremely successful in reducing (almost eliminating) those conflicts.

The Master Plan Committee tells us that the equestrians and hikers have been the most vocal and therefore they feel like this is what the public wants. They also tell us that several of the council members want to reduce the bike traffic in the canyon. These perceptions persist despite the significant and ongoing efforts of the cycling community to maintain trails and the cyclepark. Our feeling is if more one-way bike trails are built in the new area that could reduce the traffic and conflicts on the current trails in the lower Corner canyon network. As a community we need to make sure that the Master Plan Committee gets the message that we want MORE bikes-only trails then they are recommending.

You can make a difference! Show up to the public open house on TUESDAY, FEB. 9th, 6-8 PM at DRAPER CITY HALL and give them your opinion about future trail use. Let's flood City Hall with the passionate views of the mountain bikers of the valley. Show city leaders that we care and that we appreciate the riding we have and are eager stewards of the trails.

[whansen]

Ill be out of state for work next week. It's to bad there is not a petition people could sign in favor of MB trails.

[accadacca]

I can't go either. Damn...

[Iceaxe]

You guys really need to try and be there as some crazy ideas are currently being floated around. Some of the equestrian people are asking the city to adopt and odd/even system for the trails where horse would be allowed on odd days and MTB's on even days.

I'm in that canyon nearly every day and I can tell you well over 60% of the usage is MTB's, but mountain bike riders as a whole are a lot younger crowd and don't understand how to manipulate the system like the older residents do.

[double moo]

In the past 2 years of riding CC I have only come across a pair of horses once! I wonder how many residents actually have horses?

[Iceaxe]

I seldom ride CC that I don't encounter a horse and rider. Part of it is what trailhead you use and what trails you ride. The EQ trailhead is where the horses usually start. There are not a huge number of horses using CC, but they tend to be older long time residents that know those on the city council on a personal level. I've lived in Draper most of my life and in many ways it's still run as a small town on personal relationships. The city council is mostly made up of long time residents, some of whom own horse's.

[Iceaxe]

This is from a friend of mine....

All, I encourage EVERYONE to try and make your voices heard. Show up to the public open house on Feb 9th from 6-8 PM at Draper City Hall and give them your opinion about future trail use. E-mail or call your council members.

I serve as the chairman of the Draper Parks Recreation and Trails committee and was asked to be on the Open Space Master Planning Cmte last year. We've been meeting all year to come up with the master plan. Despite my pleading, the committee is moving forward with the recommendation to eventually end up with the following trail use percentages :'

Multi-use 50%, Multi-use with bikes only uphill 10%, Bikes only one-way downhill 20%, and Hikers / equestrian trails 20%.

It is my opinion that the bikers are such a large percentage of the overall user group, that we should be planning to build MORE bikes only one way downhill trails (Rush or Maple Hollow type trails). Giving the smallest user groups equal amounts of trails doesn't strike me as equitable. Furthermore, the user conflicts are a huge problem with our canyon and having bikes only one direction trails is the one thing we have done in the past that has been extremely successful in reducing (almost eliminating ) those conflicts.

The committee tells me that the equestrians and hikers have been the most vocal and therefore they feel like this is what the public wants. They also tell me that several of our council members want to reduce the bike traffic in the canyon. Please make sure they get the message LOUD AND CLEAR that we want MORE bikes only trails than they are recommending. Remind the council members that they will be voting on the public record and that we want our voices heard and that we are voting citizens of Draper City.

Open Space Master Plan
Save the Date:
Master Plan Public Review
February 9, 2016, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Draper City Hall, Council Chambers

http://www.draper.ut.us/index.aspx?NID=955

[accadacca]

Yeah that is lame. I'm not a citizen of draper, but that is pure bullshit. The vast majority of people using the trails are bikers and bikers built most of the new trails. Hikers/runners are second and horses are dead last. It's not even close.

[Iceaxe]

The Draper Open Space Plan is here:
http://www.draper.ut.us/index.aspx?NID=955

After reading the plan you can comment here:
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/258162...ace-Draft-Plan

Please take a few minutes to read the plan and comment.

[Iceaxe]

DRAPER OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN: CONTINUING THE CORNER CANYON LEGACY

The draft of the Open Space Master Plan is currently available for the public to view on Draper City’s website. Once you have had the opportunity to view the plan, please take a moment and fill out the survey before March 1st. The plan will be presented to the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee; and the Planning Commission in March, and then will be presented before the City Council in April for final adoption.

When viewing the plan I think parts 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d are what is most important to mountain bikers.

Thank You.

[whansen]

I finely finished reviewing the Draper City Open Space Master Plan. There is a lot of information to read but it is pretty exciting to hear about all the future possibility. Everyone should get in and show your support whatever your interests maybe. Draper is trying to do great things with their land and not just turning it all into subdivisions or shopping centers.
Below is the comments I submitted at the end of the survey.
(After reviewing the master plan, I am totally amazed by the great ideas being looked into to develop and maintain this great open space. Draper City is really working hard to build and maintain world renowned multi-use areas. I currently use these areas to mountain bike and hike. When I am hiking it is a much better experience for me and my family not to have mountain bikes riding past us. When I am mountain biking, it is a much better experience not to have to coordinate passing hikers on the same trail. It is also very nice to have mountain bike trails that are dedicated to one direction of travel. Like it was stated the execution of this Open Space Master plan obviously takes major funding. I live in South Jordan and would love to help contribute money and time to this great area development. I think fundraiser events are good for bring people together and generating specific project funds. Likewise volunteer projects bring people together and accomplish a specific task. I think Pay to Play options are fair all around as long as fees are kept within reason. Thanks Draper City and foundations like the Corner Canyon Trails for the great things you have already done for people to enjoy!)