Councilman Presents New Bike Trail Plan For Two City Parks

Fairhope, Alabama


Dyas Triangle entrance.



Dyas Triangle bike plan.


DYAS TRIANGLE AND NATURE PARK

Councilman Brown presented the nonprofit International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) 'Trail Solutions' division's recommendations for mountain bike/multi-use (shared) trails which could  be located on the city's Dyas Triangle and Colony Nature Park (CR 44, east).

The study, commissioned by the city council in January 2019 for $10K (click),  assesses the feasibility of developing mountain bike facilities within the city, "... an engaging activity that brings communities together ... ",  according to the report.


"Gravity" trail.

RECOMMENDATIONS

For the Triangle property,  "a system of diverse trails that appeals to mountain bike enthusiasts of all ability levels, as well as walkers, runners and hikers."

Various specialized trails with increasing difficulty level zones numbered 1 - 4  -- and a small trailhead is recommended with gravel/dirt parking and restrooms (see map above).

For the Colony Nature Park (aka. Boy Scouts Park), the report proposes "a variety of bike-specific infrastructure to create recreational opportunities that appeal to youth and provide training for NICA racers and others."

Pump-tracks, skill-loops, and flow-trails should be the focus for this park, according to the report.


Colony Nature Park
Colony Nature Park proposal.


COST ESTIMATES

Total cost for everything is estimated at $858K; yearly maintenance cost about 10 - 25% of that depending on trail type.

Councilman Brown is proposing funding to continue with the project be put into next year's municipal budget.  Some of the cost could be covered by donations/grants.












Comments

Anonymous said…
Most of the bicyclers around here ride road bikes or combo bikes, so it makes sense to design trails for mountain bikers? A lot of walkers cannot walk a dirt trail system. What about wheelchairs? There’s a great trail system through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, its all inclusive. I suggest a few city council persons and department heads go there and ride some of the trails and check out some of the trail heads, then design your own.
Anonymous said…
Forget it! Will tear up the parks!
crichmond1000 said…
I think it’s a great idea!! Adding some inclusive trails would be a super addition, too. (But keep things as natural as possible)
Anonymous said…
I thought we were going to have a nice botnical garden there?
Anonymous said…
The Triangle property would best serve the community with a scenic nature walk. The walk should have an emphasis on environmental concerns, including signs describing the flora and fauna within the ecosystem of Fairhope.
Jimmy Walker said…
This would be great for the community
Anonymous said…
You clearly have no clue how many MTB riders are around here...stfu
Anonymous said…
I agree we need more MTB trails in the area. We have a large MTB community in South Alabama.
Anonymous said…
That's a lot of public resources to support a niche hobby.

Low impact walking and running trails would be much better. Volunteers can offset trail maintenance costs. Keep it as natural as possible. The city should partner with a land trust to make this happen. That works all over the country. Why not here?
Anonymous said…
I think that the Council should take a breather from spending taxpayer funds (how much did they spend last year on purchasing land that won't be used for decades?) and concentrate on making Fairhope a saner place to live. They just raised property values and property taxes and we are losing both tourist dollars and retail/restaurant tax dollars. Why is the City Council so gung ho to put Fairhope back in debt? Perhaps they want the city to look bad after Mayor Wilson's good work? But please just stop!!!
Anonymous said…
stfu = more liberal cancel culture
Anonymous said…
Hey city council, do you really want to develop property that is going to bring the class of people that say STFU if they don’t like your view?
Anonymous said…
As an avid supporter of mtn riding I am all for it. Commutes to the surrounding trails are 30+ min minimum. Having trails here won't only bring local riders but also ones from surrounding areas,possibly boosting local business. Look at other trail studies for proof.
crichmond1000 said…
Can there be MTB trails AND walking paths?
Anonymous said…
Dear Miss/Mrs./Mr./Mx. user of STFU,

Please be civil and courteous.

Thank you.

Anonymous said…
Note to councilman Brown: pushing for bike trail will alienate the walkers and the wheelchair people. Whatever you do the other two groups are madly against it and will vote you out of office. The best thing for you to do is whine and complain. It seems like that is growing constituency around here. There is also a large group advocating no property taxes or sales taxes. The city can get by picking bills off the trees in the money tree orchard it owns.
Anonymous said…
And when these are done and other hoards take them over like the group that took over the handicap pad at the beach for their own private "venue". What do you do then?
Anonymous said…
Dont let the dope smokin kids take over!
Anonymous said…
First off, we don't need two bike parks.

One of the first sights people see when they arrive to Fairhope is the Triangle property. Citizens and visitors would rather see a scenic nature walk at the triangle property than a bike park.

If you must have a bike park then the Colony property is the best solution.

Will the town's insurance rates increase to cover bikers at the park? And what about police and emergency access to remote location at the park. There will be injures, and possibly illegal activities going on in remote sections of the property.
Unknown said…
I personally think this a fantastic use of these public spaces. My family and I are avid trail riders and have actually ridden our MTBs through both of these properties for fun, but with a real trail system they could be a real asset to the community. Other MTB trails have been developed as a means to bring eco tourists to the area. Fire Mountain in Cherokee, NC comes to mind. Currently there are very few trails to ride within 1 hour radius of Fairhope, and these trails could help provide quality access to the outdoors to our residents with minimal impact to the environment.
Andy said…
Great idea. Bicycle trails are staple of most cities parks department. People enjoy them, they are relatively low maintenance and maintain green space. A space like this could definitely foster a strong cycling community which is good for the community at large. Inclusive public spaces are undoubtedly important andiand it unfortunate that bicycles can't be enjoyed by folks in wheelchairs, but neither can the skatepark and I don't think most townships argue against their value these days.
Anonymous said…
We don't need a bike park that we have to maintain. PLEASE maintain the rec center we already have. Its dirty all the time and this week water was pouring in all over the gym floor. One would think during a pandemic you would at least sweep and mop.