(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST)
______________________________________
Then Ross Kolesar handed out an overview that showcased his proposal for a trail system. Here is what the overview said:
Recreation Trail 2 - Trail 17 Benefits
This trail would not by-pass Ironwood businesses but instead would allow an additional NEW access into Ironwood from Wisconsin Trail 17. This trail would make more people aware of our Michigan trail system when traveling from the south into Hurley. It would also give people an additional access trail into the Ironwood area. When the DNR approves trails, they look favorably at trails that connect to another state via a different access route. The more access points a city has, the better off it will be.
This trail would also continue to serve as a safe access route for city residents from the south side of town to Trail 2. This trail would come out on Trail 2 near the Industrial Park. Signs would indicate Ironwood businesses (gas, lodging, dining, and other services). Other things that the DNR considers when approving funding for trails are: direct routes, established railroad grades, minimum easement issues, bridges needed, DEQ issues, etc.
Mr. Sam Davey suggested using the trail that would connect Trail 2 back to Trail 2. Which means it's not a NEW access to Wisconsin. The trail Mr. Davey is suggesting absolutely should be explored by the City of Ironwood Snowmobile Committee to make that trail into an additional city route. It would also allow access to several Ironwood businesses that would otherwise not be readily accessible by snowmobile (Pizza King Joes, KC's, Auvinens, Manny's, Norrie Club and Aurora Club). The clubs proposed route already includes Rigoni's.
This trail would act as a relief trail for Trail 2 that the City of Ironwood snowmobile committee has been trying to find for the past several years.
This trail could also be used as an alternative route from Hurley to Ironwood if needed (i.e. Festival Ironwood).
This trail could be closed and re-routed during the SISU event.
This trail would be a multi-use trail.
This trail would be 100% funded, maintained and insured by the G.R.T.A. with no cost to the City of Ironwood.
Trail 2 through Ironwood (by the Depot) would remain open.
Kolesar then presented a map to the Committee showing his proposal for city trails.
"These are the trails that me and Sam and Bob and Gordy came up with... except for the bottom one here. That's the one you like to call SISU. And like we said, if we took that trail -- that's just the city routes if anyone would like to see it -- there's a gate here on the Wisconsin side where they could close it for the event for the week or however long we want. There's a gate on there we can close it for however long you want. We agreed that we would share just this stretch. Here's where it cuts off and Sam has this on his other map from the other week. This comes down closer to Van Buskirk Road; comes back around. This one here comes through my back yard and this is the city route that Sam's pushing for. The only difference is the DNR will not pay for a trail that's just a route through town. All this does is come by Demasi's (Pizza King Joes) and comes back over by Rigoni's. They'll pay for a trail that enters trough another state -- they're more than happy, there's one little culvert we'd have to put in." Kolesar told the Committee.
"Here's some snowmobile maps I'd like to show you people. This is Wisconsin. This is Hurley. See all the trails they got right here? Sam's worried about someone cutting off, well they'd let 15 go around town? Do you think 2A go from over by Holiday Inn and cut out towards Gile? Or Montreal? We're on the same page as Wisconsin. Here's ours! We've got one! Right here! Here's Wakefield to Ironwood, here's 160. It's the only trail we've got. This one here is just a little spur -- the one we're looking at. That's how big it is... three quarters of an inch. It's about two miles. Here's all your city routes. I know none of you ever seen this before. All these green dots these are access routes -- all through Norrie, Jessieville, all they way over to by the Country Club. You look around, any which way, it's three blocks you hit a trail, but it comes to..." Kolesar said.
"What do you mean by that now. Explain yourself." Marion True said.
"These are access routes. If you take a ride through the neighborhoods..." Kolesar continued.
"Are they signed or something like that?" True interrupted.
"No!" Kolesar continued, "They are all little trails that people made that are currently in use. Not private property. This is not like a trail through my backyard. These are coming off the streets so you can will be able to find each and every one of these. You want to open all the streets up, all you'd have to do is open the north and south ones where they could access the trails right here, within three blocks of Norrie. Here's upper Norrie, it's only a couple blocks. Down by the mill, then you come into Jessieville and if you look here's the trail that Sam's proposing. This is the one that comes right through town -- here's Rigoni's -- and this is we call them scab trails because we don't take care of them through the GRTA. Okay? Here's the one from Wisconsin. A lot of people use it. All they have to do is get through Eric Anderson's property or around it, but what they do is they go to Lime Street over here and they go back to Norrie Park Road. So then this one goes around this goes to Vanbuskirk Road... this is around the City garage... then all of these go up through upper Jessieville... then on the backside of Bonnie... then, like I said, here's the access for Rigoni's Bar... This one here goes up by Hope Animal Shelter... this one comes up by the bus garage and Ramme's Auto Salvage... and the other one is all the way down to Demasi's where they cut across."
"If you go after this one here, the problem is, the property that's for sale at the bottom of the hill by the Kiwanis... right across from Demasi's..." Kolesar said.
"The KC's!" responded Davey.
"Yeah. So if somebody buys that we're screwed... we can't get through again! Then we'd be blocked off again. We'd have to run the streets and then cut to Demasi's and then nobody knows for sure who owns the property next to Fahrner Excavating and the railroad grade there. If we can get through again there, then you gotta go through... you got a City park right here that's no problem. And Rovelsky owns property... now you're looking at a ton of easements cutting through here. Sam's figuring power lines as City property... it's not. You can't get an easement on an easement. You have to get two easements -- the power company and if I want to let you through. That's the other problem. Over here it's all the railroad grade. They own it. Just like I say I own it -- I own it as much as Eric Anderson owns his. If they wanted to come through with the railroad they can come through any time they want. And we don't have no problem sharing of if your going to find a way to fence it off... closing it for the SISU... just like all these trails now... they're all used by everybody. If you go in there, you're going to find snowshoe tracks; you're going to find cross country skis, snowmobiles... whatever."
Kolesar went on to point out businesses listed on the map.
"People just don't pass businesses up." Kolesar said. "If I'm on a ride... I got a destination picked out and I'm gonna go there! I'm going to go to gas stations. I'm going to motels... somewhere to eat... you know... there's your whole big ball of wax..."
"You're forgetting one thing..." Sam Davey interrupted.
"I'm not forgetting nothing Sam, just watch your mouth here for a second because the other night you run your mouth at a meeting and you told everybody at the meeting that me and my wife are pushing for the trail to pass up businesses in Ironwood. That is totally wrong! It is not acceptable and we want an apology from you!" Kolesar demanded.
Davey apologized and then tried to explain his point of view. Davey said that anyone traveling to Bessemer is not going to stop at an Ironwood eatery that isn't along the trail if there are signs that show places to eat in Bessemer. Kolesar disagreed. Both men debated about whether or not Ironwood businesses are being bypassed. The argument became quite heated.
After the debate about the trails ended, the GRTA representatives left. John Wyssling said "We're Big Snow Country. You do everything here, you know you snowshoe, you cross country, you downhill, you snowmobile. If you drive in with your car and your stuff, you should be able to do it all when you get here."
This reporter agreed, but I pointed out that the idea of "multi-use trails" doesn't work. I explained that just south of us, all over Wisconsin, there are separate trails for motorized sports and "silent sports" and there are never problems. No cross country skier wants to share a trail, risking their lives with snowmobiles zipping by. No snowmobiler wants to ride on trails that are shared with silent sports enthusiasts slowing them down.
Annette Burchell said that snowmobile fumes are problematic for skiers that are exerting themselves. She explained that adjacent trails create problems for both groups as well.
Without a quorum the IPRC briefly discussed the bylaws, but then decided to add the remainder of the existing agenda to their next meeting.
The meeting was adjourned.
______________________________________
Then Ross Kolesar handed out an overview that showcased his proposal for a trail system. Here is what the overview said:
Recreation Trail 2 - Trail 17 Benefits
This trail would not by-pass Ironwood businesses but instead would allow an additional NEW access into Ironwood from Wisconsin Trail 17. This trail would make more people aware of our Michigan trail system when traveling from the south into Hurley. It would also give people an additional access trail into the Ironwood area. When the DNR approves trails, they look favorably at trails that connect to another state via a different access route. The more access points a city has, the better off it will be.
This trail would also continue to serve as a safe access route for city residents from the south side of town to Trail 2. This trail would come out on Trail 2 near the Industrial Park. Signs would indicate Ironwood businesses (gas, lodging, dining, and other services). Other things that the DNR considers when approving funding for trails are: direct routes, established railroad grades, minimum easement issues, bridges needed, DEQ issues, etc.
Mr. Sam Davey suggested using the trail that would connect Trail 2 back to Trail 2. Which means it's not a NEW access to Wisconsin. The trail Mr. Davey is suggesting absolutely should be explored by the City of Ironwood Snowmobile Committee to make that trail into an additional city route. It would also allow access to several Ironwood businesses that would otherwise not be readily accessible by snowmobile (Pizza King Joes, KC's, Auvinens, Manny's, Norrie Club and Aurora Club). The clubs proposed route already includes Rigoni's.
This trail would act as a relief trail for Trail 2 that the City of Ironwood snowmobile committee has been trying to find for the past several years.
This trail could also be used as an alternative route from Hurley to Ironwood if needed (i.e. Festival Ironwood).
This trail could be closed and re-routed during the SISU event.
This trail would be a multi-use trail.
This trail would be 100% funded, maintained and insured by the G.R.T.A. with no cost to the City of Ironwood.
Trail 2 through Ironwood (by the Depot) would remain open.
Kolesar then presented a map to the Committee showing his proposal for city trails.
"These are the trails that me and Sam and Bob and Gordy came up with... except for the bottom one here. That's the one you like to call SISU. And like we said, if we took that trail -- that's just the city routes if anyone would like to see it -- there's a gate here on the Wisconsin side where they could close it for the event for the week or however long we want. There's a gate on there we can close it for however long you want. We agreed that we would share just this stretch. Here's where it cuts off and Sam has this on his other map from the other week. This comes down closer to Van Buskirk Road; comes back around. This one here comes through my back yard and this is the city route that Sam's pushing for. The only difference is the DNR will not pay for a trail that's just a route through town. All this does is come by Demasi's (Pizza King Joes) and comes back over by Rigoni's. They'll pay for a trail that enters trough another state -- they're more than happy, there's one little culvert we'd have to put in." Kolesar told the Committee.
"Here's some snowmobile maps I'd like to show you people. This is Wisconsin. This is Hurley. See all the trails they got right here? Sam's worried about someone cutting off, well they'd let 15 go around town? Do you think 2A go from over by Holiday Inn and cut out towards Gile? Or Montreal? We're on the same page as Wisconsin. Here's ours! We've got one! Right here! Here's Wakefield to Ironwood, here's 160. It's the only trail we've got. This one here is just a little spur -- the one we're looking at. That's how big it is... three quarters of an inch. It's about two miles. Here's all your city routes. I know none of you ever seen this before. All these green dots these are access routes -- all through Norrie, Jessieville, all they way over to by the Country Club. You look around, any which way, it's three blocks you hit a trail, but it comes to..." Kolesar said.
"What do you mean by that now. Explain yourself." Marion True said.
"These are access routes. If you take a ride through the neighborhoods..." Kolesar continued.
"Are they signed or something like that?" True interrupted.
"No!" Kolesar continued, "They are all little trails that people made that are currently in use. Not private property. This is not like a trail through my backyard. These are coming off the streets so you can will be able to find each and every one of these. You want to open all the streets up, all you'd have to do is open the north and south ones where they could access the trails right here, within three blocks of Norrie. Here's upper Norrie, it's only a couple blocks. Down by the mill, then you come into Jessieville and if you look here's the trail that Sam's proposing. This is the one that comes right through town -- here's Rigoni's -- and this is we call them scab trails because we don't take care of them through the GRTA. Okay? Here's the one from Wisconsin. A lot of people use it. All they have to do is get through Eric Anderson's property or around it, but what they do is they go to Lime Street over here and they go back to Norrie Park Road. So then this one goes around this goes to Vanbuskirk Road... this is around the City garage... then all of these go up through upper Jessieville... then on the backside of Bonnie... then, like I said, here's the access for Rigoni's Bar... This one here goes up by Hope Animal Shelter... this one comes up by the bus garage and Ramme's Auto Salvage... and the other one is all the way down to Demasi's where they cut across."
"If you go after this one here, the problem is, the property that's for sale at the bottom of the hill by the Kiwanis... right across from Demasi's..." Kolesar said.
"The KC's!" responded Davey.
"Yeah. So if somebody buys that we're screwed... we can't get through again! Then we'd be blocked off again. We'd have to run the streets and then cut to Demasi's and then nobody knows for sure who owns the property next to Fahrner Excavating and the railroad grade there. If we can get through again there, then you gotta go through... you got a City park right here that's no problem. And Rovelsky owns property... now you're looking at a ton of easements cutting through here. Sam's figuring power lines as City property... it's not. You can't get an easement on an easement. You have to get two easements -- the power company and if I want to let you through. That's the other problem. Over here it's all the railroad grade. They own it. Just like I say I own it -- I own it as much as Eric Anderson owns his. If they wanted to come through with the railroad they can come through any time they want. And we don't have no problem sharing of if your going to find a way to fence it off... closing it for the SISU... just like all these trails now... they're all used by everybody. If you go in there, you're going to find snowshoe tracks; you're going to find cross country skis, snowmobiles... whatever."
Kolesar went on to point out businesses listed on the map.
"People just don't pass businesses up." Kolesar said. "If I'm on a ride... I got a destination picked out and I'm gonna go there! I'm going to go to gas stations. I'm going to motels... somewhere to eat... you know... there's your whole big ball of wax..."
"You're forgetting one thing..." Sam Davey interrupted.
"I'm not forgetting nothing Sam, just watch your mouth here for a second because the other night you run your mouth at a meeting and you told everybody at the meeting that me and my wife are pushing for the trail to pass up businesses in Ironwood. That is totally wrong! It is not acceptable and we want an apology from you!" Kolesar demanded.
Davey apologized and then tried to explain his point of view. Davey said that anyone traveling to Bessemer is not going to stop at an Ironwood eatery that isn't along the trail if there are signs that show places to eat in Bessemer. Kolesar disagreed. Both men debated about whether or not Ironwood businesses are being bypassed. The argument became quite heated.
After the debate about the trails ended, the GRTA representatives left. John Wyssling said "We're Big Snow Country. You do everything here, you know you snowshoe, you cross country, you downhill, you snowmobile. If you drive in with your car and your stuff, you should be able to do it all when you get here."
This reporter agreed, but I pointed out that the idea of "multi-use trails" doesn't work. I explained that just south of us, all over Wisconsin, there are separate trails for motorized sports and "silent sports" and there are never problems. No cross country skier wants to share a trail, risking their lives with snowmobiles zipping by. No snowmobiler wants to ride on trails that are shared with silent sports enthusiasts slowing them down.
Annette Burchell said that snowmobile fumes are problematic for skiers that are exerting themselves. She explained that adjacent trails create problems for both groups as well.
Without a quorum the IPRC briefly discussed the bylaws, but then decided to add the remainder of the existing agenda to their next meeting.
The meeting was adjourned.
