Friends of Ashland Creek Park

Community Feedback

"Simply put, Ashland Creek Park is being developed under a Master Plan that was the result of a very public process and, to date, has not even completed its phased development. On this basis alone, the proposed bike facility should be a non-starter. 

Furthermore, as you well know, the park exists in one of the most prominent riparian areas in Ashland and, during the public process for the Master Plan, there was strong consensus bordering on unanimity that sustainability and protection of the natural landscape be of paramount importance to the identity and design of the park.

I fully support the efforts of the outside mountain biking group to develop their plan, given that they identify a site and there is adequate demand and outside funding. Curiously, I might add that I and probably everyone involved with that proposal learned well how to become riders without having access to such a facility.

But Ashland Creek Park is NOT the place to shoe-horn this facility into a newly developing park in a sensitive riparian watershed, and under a master plan that has not yet begun to see its full development according to clearly-articulated phasing."  

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- David Young

 

"I think the idea for a bike park is great. However, the proposed property of Ashland Creek Park is not the right space. The park's master plan is intended for community garden, open walking space, family play ground and picnic area, peaceful meditation space, as well as an open, natural environment. Community engagement and feedback around the development of this park and its ultimate outcome has been years in the making and has never involved much in the way of development. The park's master plan intends to plant more trees along the creek to increase shade, filtration and fish habitat for Ashland Creek which is desperately needed.

The park is a historical site for the Applegate Wagon Trail and Native American tools and artifacts have been found throughout the property. Many of the local neighbors, community gardeners, and park users won't be supportive of the project being located within the park as it will dramatically change the way they use this space currently. There have to be locations in Ashland where this type of park could be located that would not impact riparian zones, historic sites, preexisting park features and open natural space that is enjoyed by many. This park has become a peaceful, family friendly space that also acts as habitat to birds and other wildlife and is treasured by those who use it. I would be fully supportive of a bike park in town and would offer to help find better suited land for it's creation. But Ashland Creek Park just isn't it."

- Robyn Janssen

 

"This Park is the absolutely wrong place for pump tracks and bike parks. Only two parks in Ashland have Ashland Creek frontage. Lithia Park, and Ashland Creek Park. Why would we turn precious creek frontage into bike parks?  It would violate the Master Plan, years in the making, in several ways: it would displace planting to protect the riparian zone; it would displace grassy open spaces used by the public for a variety of purposes, and convert it to a single use; it would add non-permeable surfacing in the riparian and flood zones and open spaces; it would undermine the natural areas in the north end of the park, including the meditative sites; it would disturb community gardeners and families using the playground; and it would forever change the peaceful and natural environment of this unique and beautiful park. There is no need to scrap the years of community input and APRC work by amending the Master Plan when other locations in Ashland, such as the existing BMX Park near the water treatment facility, could better accommodate pump tracks and bike skills areas."

- Jeff Wihtol

 

"The Ashland Creek Park Master Plan, developed based on an extensive public involvement process is explicit that Ashland Creek Park is intended as a space for a community garden, open space with native meadow grasses, walking trails, and a family playground and picnic area with minimization of impervious paving. The master plan also included accommodation for a meditation area.

Much of Ashland Creek Park is located within the 100-year floodplain and Ashland Creek Park abuts the sensitive riparian area of Ashland Creek. Ashland Creek is Ashland’s most important natural resource and a critical headwater of Bear Creek and of the Rogue River. Encroachment of and development in floodplains and in or near the riparian area, particularly those developments which introduce impervious surfaces, such as a multi-acre asphalt bicycle pump track facility are not appropriate within the Ashland Creek floodplain or near its riparian edges. The sculpting and raising of land areas within the floodplain is detrimental to the capacity of the floodplain to dissipate flood waters.

We feel that this proposal for the park is inconsistent with the community interest at large and is harmful to Ashland’s natural, cultural, and open space resources and is also harmful to the Bear Creek Watershed at large. We believe that this proposal is unlikely to find support from sustainability advocates, cultural preservation interests, community gardeners within the park, bee conservation advocates, or other users of the park who routinely visit Ashland Creek Park from the broader community."

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- Ursula and Marvin Webster

 

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