Runners, bikers seek trails on new parkland

In a city where virtually all recreational opportunities are aimed at children, could Commerce’s newly-acquired park site open up opportunities for adults?

Groups interested in places to walk, run and ride mountain bikes are all showing interest in the initial development of the 50-plus-acre site located between Smallwood Drive and Waterworks Roads, notes Scott Rodgers, recreation director.

While the park site was originally acquired with the idea of building more fields for the youth team sports, those proposing using the land for walking, biking or running have one thing going for them: developing trails is relatively inexpensive at a time when the city can’t afford to build more ball fields.

Enter Mike Stanley, who lives in Commerce but works for the national bicycle company Niner Bikes.

“He is a biking enthusiast,” Rodgers said. “He called and said it would really be nice to have something in the area where people could go ride mountain bikes without having to load them in a truck and drive all the way to wherever. I invited him to come in, to take a look at the property and see if something like that could possibly take place.”

Then there’s the local run club, organized by Stephanie Micelli and Danny Yarbrough, who runs with the club.

“So, I got Mike and Stephanie and Danny together to take a look at the property and see if this is a good place for trails, knowing we don’t have a lot of money,” Rodgers recalled. “They did. They have some ideas for what could be done out there. One thing we would love to be able to do at some point is to get the cross country team involved and make a path out there that the cross country team could utilize.”

For the full story, see the March 13 issue of The Commerce News.