Trail Volunteer Work Day Saturday

Cane Creek Park welcomes volunteers to extend mountain bike trail Saturday

 

Cyclists will soon have more distance to put beneath their pedals at Cane Creek Park.

But first, volunteers are needed to help extend the park’s new 1.3-mile mountain bike trail, which opened in August.

“If we get 30 or more, we could knock this out pretty quickly,” organizer Adam DeGardeyn said of a work day planned for this Saturday morning. “We just have to see how it goes.”

DeGardeyn, a Tennessee Tech University student who was involved in the first phase of the trail build over the summer, said anyone is welcome to help. Those interested in participating in the four-hour work day should meet at 8 a.m. at the trail head. To get there, park at the Cane Creek Recreation Center and follow the paved trail across the road for a short walk.

“We need more community involvement,” he said.

The goal is to add another half mile or so to the trail by trimming or removing some of the smaller trees in a previously unused area of the park. Some tools will be provided; however, participants are asked to bring their own if possible. Tools needed include rakes, shovels, loppers, hedge shears, mattocks, axes and chainsaws.

Participants should wear pants and long-sleeved shirts. Safety glasses are recommended. They will be working on one section at a time, from the beginning of the trail to the end, instead of multiple locations simultaneously as was done during the first phase of the project.

DeGardeyn said another work day will be planned, if needed, to create a trail that is “interesting and fun” for those who enjoy mountain biking.

“It’s been pretty well received,” he said of the response so far.

“We learned a lot about how to generate a ridable trail during the first phase, and we’re taking that experience and reaching out to the community for more support for the project.”

DeGardeyn said the trail is a good entry point into the world of mountain biking – not too challenging and no need for a “fancy” bike.

“It’s a good way to have fun while staying active and enjoying nature,” he said.

Eventually, the natural surface trail could be extended up to three miles. DeGardeyn believes the project is a gateway to bringing more of this kind of activity to the Cookeville area.

The mountain bike trail is open daily to cyclists – as well as walkers and runners – from 7 a.m. until dusk at 201 C C Camp Road in Cookeville. To learn more, call Cookeville Leisure Services at 520-4386.

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