Second Community Workshop Refines Features and Next Steps for Bear Creek Trail Project

The 2nd design workshop, held on October 9 at the Battle Monument School in Dundalk, aimed to refine and give form to the concepts discussed in the initial workshop, which was held in July and discussed in this article. It took the trail features we highlighted in workshop #1 and brought us to the questions of: “where are we going to put these features?” and “what do we need to do to put them there?” 

Rachel McNamara from the Neighborhood Design Center led the discussion, after which those 

in attendance broke into small groups to propose locations for trail features on large maps of the site. 

The meeting led to a few key conclusions: 

1. First, the trail name needs to change in order to better exemplify both the historical AND environmental importance of the area. A couple suggested names included Bear Creek Historic Greenway and Bear Creek Memorial Trail. The thought process behind this is that, while it is important to discuss the history of the area, many people do not know about the Battle of North Point. Using a name that alludes to both the historic and environmental features while being catchy and relatable serves best in targeting all audiences. With signs along the trail narrating the significant history and features of the area, the trail will accommodate history buffs, nature lovers, and people who simply want to go for a walk. 
2. Additional work to engage the surrounding community is necessary. The Steering Committee discussed separate outreach efforts to bring ideas for the trail that have been discussed to date to the surrounding communities.
3. Additional outreach is also needed with county agencies, the school system, and elected officials.
4. Given that fundraising and phasing will be among the next steps, it will be important to develop cost estimates that include elements deemed important by those participating in the two workshops. They include things like jungle gyms, boat ramps, and boardwalks.

One important development that occurred outside of the October 9 meeting is that the National Park Service’s Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program granted the project an additional year of technical assistance.  Ursula Lemanski, the RTCA staff member assigned to the project, has provided helpful advice in overcoming challenges and is eager to continue to advise the Steering Committee on potential funding sources, among other things.

NeighborSpace continues to dedicate a webpage to the project.  There you will find detailed information from the work sessions, along with a wealth of maps, press clippings and photographs that date to the project’s inception ten years ago.  If you have an interest in staying on top of details related to the project, please email Shannon McDonald and she will add you to the project mailing list.