Jurupa Parks District to Map Trails for Master Plan

Jul. 22–GLEN AVON — An ancient means of traveling from one location to another is expected to become part of the Jurupa parks district’s new and developing Master Plan.

A district-sponsored workshop Monday will begin the process of mapping trails in the Jurupa Valley, determining which trails should be kept, enhanced or added and setting standards for how those trails should look, said Jurupa Area Recreation and Parks District board president Jim Real.

Along with valley residents, the district has invited to the workshop representatives of several Riverside County offices, including county Parks, Planning, Flood Control and the Department of Transportation.

The county itself is planning to invest heavily in the next few years in developing its trails, Real noted.

Over the past decade, more government agencies across the country are getting involved in mapping, building, renovating and connecting trails, said Roger Bell, executive committee chairman for American Trails, a nonprofit advocacy association.

“I think the interest in trails has never been higher,” he said.

Planners also are including trail preservation, trail construction and trail maintenance in requirements for builders and developers, Bell said.

“This is something people want,” he said.

Increased urbanization has prompted a growing interest in preserving natural areas, Bell said. “Open space preservation and trails are connected.”

The Jurupa parks district’s last Master Plan, written in 1988, didn’t include a trails segment, district general manager Dan Rodriguez said.

The district’s Master Plan consultant urged its inclusion, he said.

Monday’s workshop will include an opportunity for all those present to view an old trails map, then add to the map in pencil, or with crayon drawings or notes, where trails were missed or misplaced, Real said.

The session also will look into setting specific standards for the size and features of trails. The district has standards, but “They’re very minimal,” Real said.

The district Master Plan also will address how trails connect and coordinating efforts with other agencies, like the county.

The workshop is set to begin at 7 p.m. Monday, July 25 at 7 p.m. at the Jurupa Area Recreation and Parks District offices at 4810 Pedley Rd., in Glen Avon.

—–

To see more of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dailybulletin.com

Copyright (c) 2005, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.