NOVEMBER 2009 TRAIL NEWS

 

WOW HAS IT EVER BEEN A FUN/BUSY OCTOBER:  Annual Meeting, Friends of the Hennepin Canal in Sheffield, CMAP meeting in Chicago, Granddaughter’s Wedding in Hammond, Indiana, Trail of History in Richmond, Greenways & Trails Council & Inter-Agency Bikeways Working Group Council in Springfield, Route 66 Council Meeting in Bloomington, Conservation Congress in Springfield and Mid-America Trails & Greenways Conference in Kalamzoo, Michigan.  THE KEY WORD FOR TRAILS IS “CONNECTIVITY”.  TRAILS CONNECT US TO EACH OTHER, TO NATURE AND TO OUR INNER SELVES. 

 

ITC ACTIONS IN A VERY BUSY OCTOBER INCLUDE:

·         October 1 - Created and Distributed 219 issues of TRAIL NEWS to ITC MEMBERS.  YEAH WE GREW  AGAIN. Can you help by encouraging a friend to become a member.  This will help us continue our mission to encourage communities to build, connect and maintain more recreation trails for all of us.

·         October 2 Received forwarded e-mail asking for “publications or reports that may provide information on the access needs of paddlers and trail riders”.  Can you help??  Bev will check her files.

·         October 4 – Attended the Friends of the Hennepin Canal Annual Meeting.  They have a fantastic goal to make the canal into a navigable waterway from Rock Falls to Geneseo.  Also talked to several members about the status of the gap between Bureau Junction & LaSalle.  Bev assured them that plans at IDNR are underway.

·         October 5 – Shared information regarding the Kaskaskia Alliance Trail between Bureau Junction with Ann Pomatto in Spring Valley and Eric Oberg at Rails to Trails in Ohio.  Todd Volker from Ottawa shared info.

·         October 5 – Received information about Conservation Congress on Oct. 24 & 25.  Bev will be in Michigan.

·         October 7 – Mailed letter to Senator Durbin regarding Senate Bill S575 that would benefit Trails

·         October 8 – Attended CMAP Meeting in Chicago.  As usual CMAP does a FANTASTIC JOB.  Got a FINAL DRAFT of the NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS REGIONAL GREENWAYS & TRAILS PLAN & MAPS.

·         October 8 – Met up with Hala Ahmed now at CMAP, formerly from Peoria Planning for a nice visit.

·         October 12 – Wrote thank you letter to Christopher Deitschel re his Grainger Matching Gift of $75.00.

·         October 13 – Wrote to IDOT Region 2 Engineer re Roadway Improvement near the Hennepin Canal.

·         October 14 – Received notice “Over $16,000 Raised for Calumet-Sag Trail Development”  Good Job. 

·         October 15 – Received notice that “IDNR announces $200,000 to enhance snowmobile trails”.  Hooray.

·         October 20 – Forwarded information from Don Kirchenberg re Com Ed tree cuttings to Deborah Fagan.

·         October 21 – Attended Greenways & Trails Council Meeting #57 in Springfield.  $2,678,300 was approved in the Federal FY09/State FY10 Recreational Trails Program for Illinois.  Good things are happening at IDNR.

·         October 21 – Attended Inter-Agency Bikeway Council Working Group Meeting in Springfield.  Due to rescissions in funds Safe Routes to Schools will be deferring some projects to next year.  Complete Streets should be required and not just suggested.  Rob Sadowsky suggested grant request to public health department.

·         October 22 – Attended Route 66 Trail Executive Council Meeting in Bloomington.  Bev will check with ITC Board regarding future involvement with a brochure and possible ride. Diana has a GREAT video to share.

·         October 23 – Received e-mail from Megan Holt regarding Bev’s support of Complete Streets.

·         October 23 – Exchanged e-mail with Amy Madigan re phone number for Greg Mihalich /Tourism re brochure.

·         October 26 – Forwarded more information to Deborah Fagan re Com Ed issues with tree trimming on IPP.  Bev feels that Deborah has done a GREAT JOB getting Com Ed to work with IPP and supports the agreement.

·         October 26 – Received information about Conservation Congress and was sorry that I was not able to attend.

·         October 26-28 – Attended Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference in Kalamazoo Michigan.  Sessions included “Getting Your Ducks in a Row, Things to Do before Building your Trail”, “People Make the Difference, Trails & Volunteers”,  “Tricks Tools and Talents for Trail Operations & Maintenance”

·         October 28 – Took a bike ride on the Kal-Haven Trail in Michigan before heading back to Illinois.

·         October 30 – Clipped an article by Wally Haas about Conservation Congress “Goals for Parks & Rec”

·         October 30 – Congratulated Marla Gursh for her well deserved award at Mid-America Trails & Greenways

·         October 31 – Read a Chicago Tribune article about Complete Streets “Need road rehabbed” Go local”. 

 

ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU:

·         George Burrier from Peoria & Sandy are in West Virginia at the New River Gorge Natl. Park as Hosts and writing letters to Washington about the benefits of trails.  Always working for Trails everywhere.

·         Bob Hargis from Ohio still wants to know what is happening with ITC. 

 

 

ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU: (Cont.)

·         Keith Mistrik from Palatine filled out the survey form for Conservation Congress that Bev sent to him.

·         Ray Hoven from Gurnee has suggestions to share at the Annual Meeting in Bloomington.

·         Greg Luttrell from Granite City is pleased that Trailnet has moved back toward a focus on bike/ped as the primary method to achieve health.  Transportation by bike is best for the good health of rider & environment.

·         Diana Cooper – ITC Staff Person from Rockton has videos of the Route 66 Ride, the Long Prairie Trail Poker Run and the Boone County Fair Exhibit.  Now we have one from the Kal-Haven Trail in Michigan.

 

ITC MEMBERS ARE ACTIVE AND SO VERY SUPPORTIVE….

·         MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS WERE RECEIVED:  $250.00 from Cindy Skukrud & Tom von Geldern in Richmond & Fox River Bicycle & Ski Club.  $200.00 from Bruce Perry in Port Byron, $100.00 each from Ray Hoven in Gurnee, Kyle Harfst in Carbondale & Ray Hovis in Rockford with New Membership from Rudy’s Cycle & Fitness in Chicago.  THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

·         Peter Botzek from Chicago continues to send Bev the fun short stories about flying & biking.

·         Fred Bates from Chicago, June Ground from Mattoon,  Gordon James from Elgin, Phil Meyers from Durand & Ron Trimble from Pekin all assured Bev that they got the photos she attached to October TN.

·         Bob Clay from Bloomington was surprised by Construction at the Southern terminus of the Main North-South Branch of the Constitution Trail.  He also drove to Chenoa to see the new Trail.  Bob enjoys Route 66 Trails.

·         Deborah Fagan from DuPage County Planning has a wonderful Trail Maintenance Policy.

·         William Fried from Chicago enrolled as a member of ITC and has been a member of RTC since 1993.

·         Louise Grobl from Naperville is reading October TN while she is in Georgia.  She biked the Little Miami River Scenic Trail in Ohio and loved it.  She would like to get to Florida & ride trails there as well. Bev does.

·         Gordon James from Elgin sent Bev a newspaper article “Village preparing for bike-trail grand open”   The project realigned the Fox River trail behind the Municipal Annex  & improved the plaza at State & Water.

·         Sylvia Kellog from Hinsdale sent Bev minutes of the October 13 meeting of the BRATS in Wheaton.

·         Howard McLachlan from LaSalle sent Bev a newspaper clipping about an attack on a woman as she rode along the I & M Canal.  Generally trails are safe because of multiple users but please Buddy Up when you ride remote trails.

·         Mike Rucker from Peoria shared minutes from the October Recreaton Trail Advocates Meeting

·         Cindy Skrukrud from Richmond thanked Bev for the Bike Trails Book she received from ITC.

·         William Tornow from El Paso could not open October Trail News so Bev mailed one to him.

·         Greg Valent from Chicago (ACE REPORTER FOR TRAILS)  sent Bev a link to the CMAP meeting info.  He pointed out that Joliet is a regional hub for major bike trails but none of them directly connect.  It will be.

·         Eberhard Veit from Crystal Lake held an October meeting of the McHenry Bicycle Advocates and covered topics about Safe Routes to Schools, Chicagoland Bike Map update, Village of Cary Park Plan, Bike to Metra, Crystal Lake Bike & Ped Plan, Vulcan Lakes path connection and Rakow Road Project.  HE IS GREAT.

·         Albert Whetter from Western Springs reported his safe arrival home from his bicycle trip to Minnesota.  He negotiated the Sterns Road and the Elgin Construction.  This is construction season for Trails as well as Roads.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU

·         November 2 – Recreation Trail Advocates Meeting at Safety Town @ 7:00 p.m. in Peoria.

·         November 4 – Conservation Foundation Luncheon @ Fisherman’s Inn at 11:30 a.m.

·         November 7 – McHenry County Bike Club Annual Awards Banquet @ Turnberry Country Club.

·         November 8 – ITC ANNUAL MEETING IN NORMAL @ Ecology Action Center @ 10:00 a.m.

·         November 10 – Proposals for Operator for the Eagle Creek Resort & Conference Center on Lake Shelbyville in Eagle Creek State Recreation Area accepted.

·         November 10 – BRATS Meeting at Wheaton Park District Community Center @ 7:30 p.m. St. James Farm Info

·         January 15, 2010 – Deadline for Proposals for Eagle Creek Resort operations

·         May & June 2010 – 10^th Anniversary Celebrations of the GIT GRAND ILLINOIS TRAIL.

 

ITC HAS NEW IDOT REGION 1 CHICAGOLAND BICYCLE MAPS & NEWSLETTERS TO SHARE:  The Confluence, in St. Louis, TRAILNET in St. Louis, Friends of the Parks in Chicago, Conservation Foundation, IDNR Newsbits, Illions Prairie Path, Illinois Trails of Tears,   Natural Land Institute in Rockford, MeHenry County Pedaler, Outdoor Illinois from IDNR and Rails to Trails in Washington DC.

 

CONTACT ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY at www.ILLTrails.com or Bev at bebomoore@aol.com regarding anything mentioned in TRAIL NEWS.  The address is P.O. Box 10 - Capron, Illinois 61012 & the phone number is 815-569-2472 or cell 815-289-1024 with fax 815-569-2976.