December 19, 2012
We're cooking right along :)
Phase 4A is now open from the community center to the Bluff. This is a lower line that parallels THE LAYOVER.
Make sure you check out our facebook page for the latest!!! http://www.facebook.com/groups/roanokeparktrails/
Happy Holidays to you and yours. Enjoy the trails!
November 28, 2012
Long time no update :)
Make sure you head here for the latest: http://www.facebook.com/groups/roanokeparktrails/
So we've made a ton of progress since June. The Layover was not good this summer :( I apologize to everyone for opening that trail, but I did not plan or think we'd go 42 days at the Park between significant rainfalls. After some moisture this fall, I've been able to re-work a lot of the tread and I am really proud of how it has turned out now. After some vegetation grow in next spring and and summer, it will be a very aesthetically pleasing addition to the park.
For those of you who don't know, I am a college student at UMKC. During my "summer break" the first few weeks of August between summer and fall semesters I started working on Phase 3 near Coleman Cliff. Soon, I realized that much of the line was in need of winter creeper eradication only. With a tri-blade weed eater and some old fashioned sweat work with hoes and rakes, we busted it out in literally 2 weeks. An entire trail, from start to finish, done in 2 weeks. Amazing!!!
This fall a super heavy load of graduate course hours has slowed my work a little but our gnomes have stepped up in their free time. Phase 4-A (lower trail between community center and bluff) is coming along nicely, but at this time IS NOT OPEN! Please do not use the trail, it is very unsafe until we get it cleaned up and finished. Please let your neighbors know too, especially if you see them using it!!! It should be open soon though, definitely by the end of the year!
Make sure you come to our workdays this winter and fall!!!
June 16, 2012
Hello all!!!
We've been quietly hammering out some new trail for all to enjoy. This section is very cool and runs you from the Community Center to the Bluff. Please see the new map above!
I am extremely proud of this section and still can't believe all of it is my brain child. I like to think this section will be one of the most technical and beautiful trails in KC for many years to come.
That being said, it has been really dry lately. Good for bench cutting, bad for firming up the ground...
PLEASE DO NOT RUN OR RIDE THIS SECTION YET. WE NEED A GOOD RAIN TO GET THE GROUND FIRMED BACK UP. CORNERS ARE SUPER LOOSE STILL IN SOME SPOTS BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TAMP THE GROUND IN WITHOUT ANY MOISTURE.
There are a few other housekeeping items to take care of as well to make it optimal for runners and riders. As soon as we get a decent rain, runners and riders have at it!!!
Hikers, enjoy!!!
I'll be taking a break from trail work for a few weeks until the heat dies back down. Today was HOT!!!
ERTA volunteers now have invested well over 500 hours of labor to make these trails a reality. Using the conservative estimate of $4 per linear foot of built trail and $15 per hour of volunteer labor, ERTA volunteers have contributed over $19,000 in-kind contributions to the Park so far between Devil's Dip and the Layover.
June 27 there is a Jazz Concert in the Park. Find me and we'll go for a hike :)
March 22, 2012
NEXT TRAIL WORK DAY IS APRIL 21 FROM 9-12!!! FINS US ON FACEBOOK: "ROANOKE PARK TRAILS"
ROANOKE PARK BIG WORK DAY A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!
March 10 – Over 80 volunteers assisted on an absolutely gorgeous spring morning with the continued redevelopment of Roanoke Park.
Teams of trail builders and honeysuckle warriors labored for a few glorious hours in the quest for ecological restoration within the rolling, bluff-laced terrain.
Randy Moore led approximately 40 honeysuckle warriors in the continued battle to reveal Coleman Bluff on the northern edge of the park, with the team making outstanding progress. Workers dragged and piled brush, cut invasive species out, and shared in a mid-morning break and story swap time. Their work has made Coleman Bluff visible once again through the understory of the parkland’s native urban forest!
Brett Shoffner coordinated approximately 30 trail builders to complete the first section of the Roanoke Park trail system, the latest addition to regional trail mileage built and maintained by Earth Riders Trails Association. Workers scraped, tamped, and rocked their way to an approximately 1/5 mile long, 100% volunteer hand-built nature trail. Other volunteers provided a water and snack wagon, wheeling it around the park to the different working groups, as even more volunteers prepared lunch for everyone.
The morning work session was capped with a ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening the “Devil’s Dip” section of the Roanoke Park Trails. Devil’s Dip represents the first of six phases of trail development within Roanoke Park. After walking the new trail, workers gathered under the shade trees of the Westport-Roanoke Community Center to enjoy a wonderful meal provided by Miles Krivena and Whole Foods and prepared by our master chefs, Chef Brett and Chef Scottie. The food was as good as the conversations, with everyone enjoying both under blue skies and sunshine.
See the Plans > Trails section for the Roanoke Park Trails Master Plan.
Special thanks to Brett Shoffner, Curt Watkins, Miles Krivena, Scott Capstack, and Randy Moore for their continued support and leadership in the quest for a better Roanoke Park.
February 1, 2012
I would like to invite you all to the first ever BIG WORKDAY at Roanoke Park, March 10, 2012 starting at 9:00 am. The neighbors have some special things lined up for everyone, so let's get a ton of people out and get some sweet, 100% hand built trail done!
March 10 BIG WORKDAY Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/310525108993366/
We will work from 9:00-12:30ish, with lunch being served at 1:00ish.
Saturday March 10, 2012, 9:00 am
Coffee service and juice near work site...
Water provided and help by our regular guys all day...
Protein bars for mid-morning snack...
Food served at center from 1ish-2:30...
Meeting and Parking at:
Westport-Roanoke Community Center
3701 Roanoke Road, Kansas City, MO
http://tinyurl.com/6nvafnw
The good stuff: food provided.... Gourmet Dogs with dessert... One of our Neighborhood leaders says, "this will get the workers out!"
We will have every phase of trail building to potentially get after...from corridor clearing to final scrapes and tamps. Something for everyone! Don't be scared!
Try to bring the standard trail building tools, gloves, and eye protection if you have them available. We can use rock bars/rock hammers/sledges in quite a few areas, so a few extras of those wouldn't be a bad thing. For those without tools, we will have stuff available for you.
Please indicate if you may attend, we would like to get a rough estimate of how many supplies we need (tools, food, beverages, etc).
Hope to see you there! We have some great terrain to work with right in the middle of the city, come check it out!
Roanoke Trails
http://www.facebook.com/groups/210486432369795/
http://groups.google.com/group/roanoke-park-trails
January 26, 2012
Find us on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/groups/210486432369795/
Happy new year! We've began construction and are moving right along. Stay tuned for a big announcement about March 10 MEGA WORK DAY.
Facebook and the google group will have the latest info. Plug into those if you haven't yet to stay up to date with the latest trail news!