New trail coordinator on the job
With 40 miles of trails awaiting only the final safety features, Kay Curry, Bella Vista’s new trail coordinator, hit the ground hiking. Or maybe biking. She does both in her spare time.
“I’ve always been a trail user, an outdoors person,” she said recently.
She has a degree in landscape design and a masters degree in horticulture from University of Arkansas as well as a second masters degree in landscape architecture. When she saw the job in Bella Vista advertised, she was excited. It was a great fit, she said.
Her first project has been helping organize volunteers who are performing maintenance on the new trails. Two groups have already been working on the trails, which are not yet open. Keeping the trails clear of debris and weeds is a constant project, she explained. Members of the two mountain bike groups understand that and are willing to help. Each volunteer signed a waiver and in return, they have permission to use the trails before they are open to the public.
Not only do they clear off brush and fallen limbs, they will also keep a constant check on bridges and ramps that are part of the trails.
Although Curry is depending on the two mountain bike groups to continue working on the trails, she’s looking at other help, too. She’s researching AdoptA-Trail programs to add volunteers who aren’t dedicated mountain bikers. She’s also working on a trail maintenance guide.
The trail builders have been rating the difficulty of each section, which that’s very important, Curry explained. The rating system will be like a ski slope, so beginners know which trails to avoid.
Educating the public is part of her job, too. The trails will be used by both mountain bikers and hikers and both groups need to know and respect the rules. It’s been working well in Blowing Springs, she pointed out. Mountain bikers also have families and aren’t likely to ignore the needs of the hikers, she said.
Some bikers may not realize that they must yield to vehicle traffic at the crossings, she said. Small stop signs are going up on the trails to remind them.
Funding is also part of the job. The Back 40 trails were funded by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation. Curry will be looking at other grant opportunities to complete the trails.
Parts of the Back 40 are due to be open this weekend. The remainder of the 40-mile system is still under construction, but it may be open later this fall.