If you live in the city contacting your local council person will help as well.
Read more for Mark Weinman’s letter to Mayor Rawlings-Blake and a link to Save the Raven for more details on what is going on.
October 15, 2010
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Mayor-Baltimore City
City Hall
100 N. Holliday Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202-3459
Re: Mountain Bike Access Loch Raven Watershed
Dear Mayor Rawlings-Blake:
I have been using the watershed for recreation since 1993. My family and I use the Loch Raven area for exercise and family outings on a weekly basis. I am a resident of Towson and having this resource within our community is a huge asset. Over the past five years I have used the watershed for trail riding on a regular basis, at least two days per week, year round. Having access to the water shed is very important to my health and lifestyle. I am a member of the international Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts (MORE).
I sent you a letter in March 2010 regarding public access to the Loch Raven watershed and use by mountain bikers. At that time the mayor and city council had promised an open dialogue with the biking community to assess how the use of the watershed had evolved over the past 12 years and to update the user policies from the 1998 Plan. The progress of those task force meetings had been documented on various web sites. The understanding within the biking community was a working dialogue with DPW and interim education about trail use.
Over the past 9 months I have seen no signs of an educational effort by the watershed rangers or DPW. I have used the open space at least 2 times a week and never had a dialogue with the rangers. Without notification to the biking task force, or biking community DPW erected new trail use policy signs at a few trailheads in late September. My first encounter with the rangers was October 3, 2010 when I was given a written warning by a ranger. There was no educational effort, just a request for my photo ID. From multiple sources, including direct dialogue with the watershed rangers, it appears DPW has no intention of working with the trail user groups. They have made a unilateral decision to move ahead with an outdated policy that is contrary to what the city had promised last winter.
I realize amending public policy is a complicated matter, but the current situation and methods of communication and enforcement are unacceptable to the public open space users. Please uphold past promises to work with the public to restore reasonable access to the watershed.
Sincerely
Mark S. Weinman
Save the RavenoldId.20101023171704108