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| Cyclists, residents pack Park Board meeting |
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Discussion of Greenway Trail continues; most arguments "irrational," advocate says It was a full house at a meeting of the Elmhurst Park District Board of Commissioners on Monday, July 12 when 70-80 people showed up to express their views on the Salt Creek Greenway Trail completing a path from the Prairie Path down to Fairview and Madison. "I'm led to believe that about half of those attending were representing the local residents of the area," said Bob Hoel, advocacy chair for the Elmhurst Bicycle Club. "The others were those who wanted to see the trail completed. It wasn't just the bike club." The Independent caught up with Hoel last week following the meeting for an exclusive interview. "Of those who spoke in favor, half of them have nothing to do with the bike club, but just feel strongly that the issues being raised are not real issues," he said. "They are fear-mongering." He said there were about 20-25 people from the Bicycle Club there, but almost as many just interested in seeing the issue through. "It was the kind of support that the Park Board Commissioners needed to see," Hoel explained. "Until now they've really only heard from the residents of that area. And to take that a step further, I have been talking to residents in that area who are quite offended by the opposition. Some say, 'I don't see any problems with these folks coming through the neighborhoods.' When they talk about drugs and thieves coming through the neighborhood, well, that just doesn't fit the average cyclist. A lot of people just aren't buying it." The Greenway Trail was actually not on the Park Board's agenda for the evening, but people took the opportunity to show up and voice their opinions. It will be on the agenda of the August 9th meeting, but it is unclear what action may be taken, if any. Hoel said they may consider some of the ideas and proposals presented at the meeting, which he explained to the Independent, adding many were new ideas, good ideas he'd never heard before. "First of all, [there is a need to] address some of the safety concerns people have," he said. "Mostly, they are going to have to be careful backing out of driveway. Well, we're supposed to do that anyway! Be careful driving down the street. Again, good drivers are always supposed to be watching for kids." But one idea was to re-route the flow of traffic for all people -- cars and cyclists. "Someone suggested making Rex [Blvd.] one-way southbound and Sunnyside one-way northbound," Hoel said. "That would cut the traffic in half. And all traffic would be moving in the same direction, so no one would be meeting any oncoming traffic. "Rex Blvd. typically has no pass-through traffic, that is, people don't use is as a shortcut, the only people driving in that area would be its own residents." Another idea presented was, if the roads are too narrow, restrict parking to one side. "They did that a number of years ago on Hawthorne by Eldridge Park and it's worked out just fine," Hoel said, adding, "Those were [ideas] that hadn't come up before, and I think they are good. "The bottom line is, this is no longer just a Park District [issue]. They have to collaborate with the City. We've got to get people thinking outside the box." Bob has sent recommendations to the Park Board, the City Manager and the Director of Public Works, as well as the aldermen who serve on the Public Works and the Public Affairs & Safety Committees. According to Hoel, some people said they "just don't want all these strangers on the street." The police department was asked to provide any reports of vandalism or theft related to the use of the Prairie Path. Deputy Police Chief Jim Doherty came back with a letter to Park District Executive Rich Grodsky saying there was nothing. "We have nothing that connects people on the Prairie Path with vandalism," Doherty's report read. "We've been reaching out to other communities [along the Prairie Path] to see what they have found." Hoel summed it up. "For the most part, the arguments are irrational," he said. "It's a bigger issue of change rather than anything real. That's why we have directed elected officials to make decisions for the greater good. That's what it will come down to, listening to data, not opinions, and making a decision from there." |
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