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Residents back low‑impact trails and urge selective park investments in Bear River plan
Summary
Public commenters praised existing mowed trails for walking and horses, proposed low‑noise additions like an archery ring or horse obstacles, and urged the town to prioritize resilient park areas while mapping riprap and stormwater needs for flood‑prone sites.
Moderator reviewed the parks inventory in the draft plan and asked what the town should do with several park parcels that flood regularly. A resident who uses the trails for walking dogs and horseback riding said the maintained paths are valuable and recommended keeping them largely as they are.
Why it matters: several park parcels sit in flood‑prone areas that require repeated maintenance; focusing investment on a smaller number of resilient park sites could provide better amenities with less upkeep.
Public suggestions included low‑impact features such as a small archery ring, trail obstacles for horse use, and a focus on a few larger picnic or activity pads rather than many small installations that require frequent maintenance. The Moderator noted concerns about bringing permanent fixtures into flood zones and the burden on maintenance staff after floods.
The Moderator also said the draft plan will include a map of existing riprap placements and recommended locations where additional erosion control could be needed to protect trails and riverbanks. Residents asked for parking and access improvements to support trail use without creating noisy or highly visible infrastructure.
No final park design decisions were made; staff will incorporate community feedback and return with more-detailed park‑site recommendations and maintenance estimates.
