Union County Freeholders

The_Mountainside_Menace

Well-Known Member
I sent an email just so that possibly my daughters won't get tickets if they choose to ride across the street-signed the mountainside menace. With COVID things have gotten much more lax for the most part. Everyone just wants to get out of their house and enjoy some relaxation and recreation in the woods. Everyone has been cordial except for the same few faces. However, two of the crazies have seemed to go off the deep end and I want no part of that anymore if it can be put to a stop.

I think I may have mentioned this before, but Hudak is certainly on board and a few others. I grew up with Hudak's campaign manager and he laughed when I brought up mountain biking. He mentioned it was somehow one of the contested topics that kept coming up... seems like there are more important things for the freeholders to be doing, but you never know. Mountain biking could possibly have a slight chance in Union county especially if things go well down in Westfield.
 

thegock

Well-Known Member
Madam or Sir:

This letter is to document my suggestions for the Union County Parks 10 year Master Plan 2020 for the development of the 6,200 acre system.

Mountain bike trails should be opened in the Watchung Reservation.

At least one disc golf facility should be installed in the county. Oak Ridge would be a good place to start. There are 41 disc golf courses in the state and Union County, one of the most populous, doesn’t have any. Do you feel like a dinosaur?

I have volunteered more than twice for trail maintenance in the Watchung Reservation in the past, but did not feel welcome by certain Union County employees. I hike and snowshoe there often, care for the trails and have removed more than 10 full bags of litter in the last five years. Please send me information for my consideration about volunteering there.

Regards,

the
 

Shorepoints

Well-Known Member
What I sent if anyone needs ideas:
Hello,
This email is in response to your request for feedback on future UC Parks Plans. Union County is sorely lacking, and long overdue for multi-use trails which legalize mountain bike use. There are several suitable sites, namely Watchung Reservation, Echo Lake Park, and Hidden Valley Park. I was very involved, and very aware of the prior efforts to legalize bikes at Watchung Reservation per the recommendations of your Parks Master Plan. I believe the ultimate decision by a few Freeholders to disregard this recommendation was a great disappointment and sorely misguided. This decision was also heavily influenced by a misinformation campaign maligning bicycle impact on trails. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have shown impact on trails is much more effected by the trail design itself, rather than the user group. The exception is horses (currently allowed in Watchung and Hidden Valley parks) which have substantially more negative impact than hikers or bicycles.

Since Covid, the demand/desire for socially distant outdoor activities has sky-rocketed in Union County and around the country. Even as the pandemic hopefully wanes, the elevated demand for bike trails will absolutely continue. Just ask some of the local bike shop owners about the unprecedented increase in demand for mountain bikes in Union County. There are also now several Union County-based youth mountain bike teams that have formed and are actively participating in the NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) events throughout New Jersey.

It is time Union County finally provided legal mountain bike trails. As always, I am always available to help.
 

The_Mountainside_Menace

Well-Known Member
Madam or Sir:

This letter is to document my suggestions for the Union County Parks 10 year Master Plan 2020 for the development of the 6,200 acre system.

Mountain bike trails should be opened in the Watchung Reservation.

At least one disc golf facility should be installed in the county. Oak Ridge would be a good place to start. There are 41 disc golf courses in the state and Union County, one of the most populous, doesn’t have any. Do you feel like a dinosaur?

I have volunteered more than twice for trail maintenance in the Watchung Reservation in the past, but did not feel welcome by certain Union County employees. I hike and snowshoe there often, care for the trails and have removed more than 10 full bags of litter in the last five years. Please send me information for my consideration about volunteering there.

Regards,

the
More than twice 😆
 
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