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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume II, Issue XIX Page 11 October 1, 2000 Weber League Holds Fall Kick-Off Event Pathways News Ogden Valley Pathways By Shanna Francis Ogden Valley News Staff By Raquel Kendell, Student Essayist Trails in the Valley is a Good Idea Patrick Rasmussen, Student Essayist If we had trails in the Valley, we would be able to travel without polluting the air. We would be able to ride our bikes a lot more away from the road. We could travel around the Valley and get more exercise. If we get some trails it would be a lot more fun. In the future we could ride our bikes to Junior High. Trails would make this a better place. Trails would be safer because you wouldn’t be on the road with all the speeders. It would make a big difference. The trails would probably be away from the road so you wouldn’t have to ride on the road. I really like to hike so I think this is a good idea. If We Had Trails in the Valley . . . By Paul Rasmussen, Student Essayist If we had trails in the Valley, I could ride my bike to my friend’s house. I can’t do it now because of the cars. If I ride my bike on the road and a car comes by, I have to pull over to the side of the road. My mom says I can only ride my bike in the neighborhood because the cars go too fast on the highway. I could ride my bike to church. In the summer I could go on hikes on the trail with my friends and look for animals. I love living in the Ogden Valley but it is hard to go anywhere without driving. Pathways would help connect one town to another so we would be able to walk or rides bikes. I live right in the town of Huntsville and I ride my bike mostly around the town. I can’t ride anywhere outside of the town because it is too dangerous. There aren’t even shoulders on the road to ride on. My mom likes to ride her bike and take walks for exercise but although she is trying to get healthy, she is really putting her life in danger by being on the roads. It doesn’t make sense. There is a sign on Highway 89 that describes the Ogden Valley as a recreation area. The Ogden Valley offers many fun things to do, but being able to walk and ride your bike safely, isn’t one of them. Having Pathways Would Be Exciting By Carly Hirst, Student Essayist Having non-motorized public pathways in Ogden Valley is very exciting. I love the outdoors, cross-country skiing, hiking, and bike riding. It’s hard to reach recreation areas without driving to them. It would be funner to be able to bike ride. In our Valley we have narrow roads with high speed limits, which makes it dangerous to ride a bike or ski along the road. Having a parkway would sure make it safer. This would be a great help to my family and me. We love to see nature, hike and explore. We also love to ski. I’m not the best skier but I love to go down hills. This would be a perfect trail. In winter it allows people to get outside and not spend a lot of money. Best of all, this parkway would encourage people to slow down and observe nature and the beauty of Ogden Valley. The Weber County League of Women Voters held their annual fall membership kick-off potluck lunch at the Ogden River Parkway on Saturday, September 16. Guest speakers included Sandy Crosland, Vice President of Weber County Pathways and Marie Irvine of the Oregon California Trails Association. Ms. Crosland spoke to members of the League about the importance of trails in a community, and the idea of river ways being a type of trail for recreation, noting that that was just one of many reasons to ensure that our rivers are clean, safe places. She Sandy Crosland of Weber County Pathways explained that if you speak to addresses members of the League of Women anyone from the Ogden area Voters at their annual fall kick-off luncheon at who is 45 years of age or older, the Ogden River Parkway. and ask them what they did for fun in Lafayette/Moraga Trail on property the summer in Ogden, the activities owners adjacent to it found that 92% of they mention will center around water- adjacent owners used the trail and that ways—swimming, fishing, tubing, etc. 90% were either “very” or “somewhat” According to Ms. Crosland, those satisfied with it. The three things they activities have, for the most part, gone liked best about living near the trail by the wayside. Why? Since that time were “trail is close, convenient,” “fun Ogden’s rivers became dumping to watch trail users,” and “trail is safe grounds for old cars and car parts, large place to walk, bike, etc.” Over sixty chunks of broken cement, rebar, house- percent reported having “not experihold junk, and many other discarded enced the slightest problems” on items. Through the years, this made account of the trail. The majority of Ogden’s rivers virtually impassable in the owners felt there were fewer probsome places, or at a minimum, very lems at that time than before there had dangerous to recreate in. been a trail and 92% felt the trail had But, the community’s attitude and either improved or had no effect on the level of awareness is changing. Once quality of their neighborhoods. While again the value of rivers and trails is 48% felt the Lafayette/Moraga Trail being acknowledged, and efforts are had little or no effect on their property being made to restore old trails and life values, 36% felt the trail had increased giving waterways. Some of the chal- the value of their property. The majorlenges come from our increasing popu- ity of those surveyed reported that livlation, and the importance of private ing next to the trail was better than they property rights. In order to run a trail had expected it to be, and 56% of those of any significant distance can affect a who moved to their present homes multitude of property owners who may along the trail after it had been built be impacted by a trail or river users. reported that they had considered the According to Ms. Crosland, when it trail a plus when making heir decision comes to private property rights, edu- to buy. Eighty-five percent felt the trial cation is very important. Traditionally, had been a worthwhile expense of park efforts to bring trails through areas that money and the most commonly impact private property, the property requested improvement by the adjacent owner’s response is usually, “Not in owners was “lengthen trail.” my backyard!” Some of those original opponents evolve into trail supporters. Look Your Best in Your Fresh Clean Clothes FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1956 5 LOCATIONS Valley Market................745-4000 428 2nd St.....................392-7821 (Wangsgard’s Shopping Center) 3037 Washington Blvd...393-4736 3570 Wall Ave................399-3266 4421 Harrison Depot.....479-0610 DRAPERY & MINI-BLIND CLEANING $100 $300 $500 OFF Any $8.00 order 1 coupon Per Visit. Expires Oct. 15, 2000 According to Crosland, the private property owner usually finds that once the trail is in place, it becomes an asset. Weed or junk infested areas become cleaner, and property values usually increase. 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