I'd like your take on this.

[Parr8hed]

Damage at Joe Creason Park

My son raced in this race on both days.  It was an event that was a UCI race that brought people in to our city from all over.  An estimated half million in revenue was brought into our city.  Now people are up in arms because bikes caused damage to a city park.  Damage in the form of grass killed and some ruts left.  Seed was planted by race promoters after the race.  

 

Pic after the races.

 

The same park in the spring on any given year.

login[1].jsp

[Square Wheels]

That is clear evidence that riding a bike on the grass leads to flooding.

 

I would not worry too much about the damage.  It will grow back.  I find that most people like to whine and complain.

[Green Grass]

" FitzGerald said the races disturbed ecosystems and could have possibly introduced invasive species to the park. "

 

Well, FitzGerald has a flair for the dramatic, I see.

I do think the race organizers should have taken care of the ruts before reseeding.  While the grass will look nice, it won't be a very good surface for walking and running.

 

Did your kid win?

[pedalphile]

That grass was not dead, merely resting.

[jsharr ★]

If that was the park at the end of my street where I walk my dogs, I would not be happy about it.  I can see both sides.  

[Razors Edge ★]

40 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

I would not worry too much about the damage.  It will grow back.  I find that most people like to whine and complain.

Parr8 was just asking for your opinion, not whining and complaining! Geez! 

Tom

[Razors Edge ★]

40 minutes ago, Goat Geddah said:

" FitzGerald said the races disturbed ecosystems and could have possibly introduced invasive species to the park. "

Honestly, there is no more invasive species than man, so FitzGerald is correct in his worry.

That park probably sits empty most of the year except when canoers and kayakers (both those words fail Chrome's spellcheck!) come around after it floods.

Tom

[jsharr ★]

Here is the only whine that @Parr8hed likes

[Razors Edge ★]

7 minutes ago, jsharr said:

If that was the park at the end of my street where I walk my dogs, I would not be happy about it.  I can see both sides.  

On the plus side, he wasn't whining about azzclown dog owners letting their dogs crap & piss all over the fields where his kid plays!

Tom

[jsharr ★]

15 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

On the plus side, he wasn't whining about azzclown dog owners letting their dogs crap & piss all over the fields where his kid plays!

Tom

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, jsharr said:

So YOU are one of THOSE dog owners???? SHAME!

Tom

[Kzoo]

5 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Yup I was right the first time. Razor What's His Name.

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

Yup I was right the first time. Razor What's His Name.

NOBODY'S clicking on that LINK!

Tom

[TrentonMakes]

So that area of mud and ruts was previously grass? 

The race was officially sanctioned, proper permits, etc.? 

Nobody should have expected a race to be held on grass and not end up looking like this.

Organizers reseeded the area afterward?  It seems to me that proper seeding technique involves raking/loosening up the soil, which should have addressed the ruts.

I think the annual flooding is a non-issue, as long as any seed has had some time to root.  It's not going to kill the existing grass, and it's not going to magically restore the rutted areas. 

Ecosystems?  Invasive species?  "Flair for the dramatic" indeed.

[Green Grass]

6 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

NOBODY'S clicking on that LINK!

Tom

I did.  Kzoo nailed it, jsharr reinforced it.  Does get tedious.

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, TrentonMakes said:

So that area of mud and ruts was previously grass? 

The race was officially sanctioned, proper permits, etc.? 

Nobody should have expected a race to be held on grass and not end up looking like this.

Organizers reseeded the area afterward?  It seems to me that proper seeding technique involves raking/loosening up the soil, which should have addressed the ruts.

I think the annual flooding is a non-issue, as long as any seed has had some time to root.  It's not going to kill the existing grass, and it's not going to magically restore the rutted areas. 

Ecosystems?  Invasive species?  "Flair for the dramatic" indeed.

Well, maybe Parr8 will take an "after" photo of the park as it looks today (reseeded, de-rutted, & prettified), so we can get a true understanding of this hullabaloo!

Tom 

[Kzoo]

2 minutes ago, Goat Geddah said:

I did.  Kzoo nailed it, jsharr reinforced it.  Does get tedious.

And Razor would say "No it doesn't!"

[Razors Edge ★]

2 minutes ago, Goat Geddah said:

I did.  Kzoo nailed it, jsharr reinforced it.  Does get tedious.

Let the record show - I did not call you a "nobody". You self-selected. SW can't ban me for that! 

Tom

[Parr8hed]

2 hours ago, Goat Geddah said:

" FitzGerald said the races disturbed ecosystems and could have possibly introduced invasive species to the park. "

 

Well, FitzGerald has a flair for the dramatic, I see.

I do think the race organizers should have taken care of the ruts before reseeding.  While the grass will look nice, it won't be a very good surface for walking and running.

 

Did your kid win?

IIRC, He placed 7th out of 11 in his AG.  But this was a UCI race.  lots more competition in those.  And hes the youngest in his AG right now.  I think that he will really do well next year.

[Kzoo]

1 minute ago, Parr8hed said:

I think that he will really do well next year.

You sound like a Cubs fan......

[Parr8hed]

I do see both sides of the story.  But I think that for the most part people are being overly-dramatic PITA's.  They are absolutely fine when 30,000 people trample grass for fireworks displays, food and wine festivals, etc.  And don't get me started on the large outdoor concert festivals that go on for several days and 50,000 people that trample the grass.  I don't think that you will notice the "damage" at all in a few months.

[Thaddeus Kosciuszko]

3 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

Seed was planted by race promoters after the race. 

Oh for goodness sake!

They should make the race promoters pave the dead grass areas with asphalt so next year the event won't kill any grass.

[12string]

4 hours ago, pedalphile said:

That grass was not dead, merely resting.

They nailed it's roots to the dirt!  It's dead!

[Razors Edge ★]

2 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

I do see both sides of the story.  But I think that for the most part people are being overly-dramatic PITA's.  They are absolutely fine when 30,000 people trample grass for fireworks displays, food and wine festivals, etc.  And don't get me started on the large outdoor concert festivals that go on for several days and 50,000 people that trample the grass.  I don't think that you will notice the "damage" at all in a few months.

If that park is hosting 30k for fireworks and 50k for concerts, they should 1) be good at repairing damage, and 2) getting some cash to cover the expenses.

Tom

[jsharr ★]

2 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

I do see both sides of the story.  But I think that for the most part people are being overly-dramatic PITA's.  They are absolutely fine when 30,000 people trample grass for fireworks displays, food and wine festivals, etc.  And don't get me started on the large outdoor concert festivals that go on for several days and 50,000 people that trample the grass.  I don't think that you will notice the "damage" at all in a few months.

This was my thought as well.  If it is not there game, they will complain.  Runner mad that bikes made a mess.  If it happened at a cross country event, he would have been fine with it I bet.  

Also, get off my yard.

[Dirtyhip]

Ah, the inevitable "You screwed up my stuff," scenario.  

It sounds like you did it best.  Work to repair the damage, after it happens.   

Might I suggest a good PR piece written about the event and hi-light what you do to preserve the beauty of the park.  Include man hours donated as well as what work was done.  Like, beat them to the punch.  They are already expecting it and you take their power away.  Specifically mention the good that this event creates.  Like, preventing obesity by giving kids a healthy activity or $XXXX.00 was donated to X charity.  Or $X,XXX amount of funds were infused into local economies by visitors for this event.

Positive spins that outweigh the perceived negative aspects will help people understand.

[maddmaxx ★]

Unfortunately people will be people.  There are those who complain about your dog poop and others who don't like bicycles and still others who don't like your kids making noise while they play.

There is little you can do about them other than explain what was done, cite the towns approval and wait for them to die.

[ChrisL]

5 hours ago, Parr8hed said:

I do see both sides of the story.  But I think that for the most part people are being overly-dramatic PITA's.  They are absolutely fine when 30,000 people trample grass for fireworks displays, food and wine festivals, etc.  And don't get me started on the large outdoor concert festivals that go on for several days and 50,000 people that trample the grass.  I don't think that you will notice the "damage" at all in a few months.

We have a local Cross series and they held a race at a park near my house one year. And wwre not allowed back.... Yeah we tore up the grass pretty good and it took a good year for it to fully recover.  I know as i frequent the park often.

Most of our courses that have stood the test of time are on dirt which there is plenty in arid SoCal.

I totally get it and I think organizers need to be better stewards of the sport and thoroughly explain the damage and how they will remedy the damage.  Scattering seed alone won't fix it...

[jsharr ★]

8 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

We have a local Cross series and they held a race at a park near my house one year. And wwre not allowed back.... Yeah we tore up the grass pretty good and it took a good year for it to fully recover.  I know as i frequent the park often.

Most of our courses that have stood the test of time are on dirt which there is plenty in arid SoCal.

I totally get it and I think organizers need to be better stewards of the sport and thoroughly explain the damage and how they will remedy the damage.  Scattering seed alone won't fix it...

Gonna need to areate that compacted soil.  Soil is a mixture of macro and micro particles and ideally is 50% particles, 25% air and 25% water.   Once soil is compacted like that, roots have a hard time breathing.  

 

[Randomguy]

31 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Ah, the inevitable "You screwed up my stuff," scenario.  

It sounds like you did it best.  Work to repair the damage, after it happens.   

Might I suggest a good PR piece written about the event and hi-light what you do to preserve the beauty of the park.  Include man hours donated as well as what work was done.  Like, beat them to the punch.  They are already expecting it and you take their power away.  Specifically mention the good that this event creates.  Like, preventing obesity by giving kids a healthy activity or $XXXX.00 was donated to X charity.  Or $X,XXX amount of funds were infused into local economies by visitors for this event.

Positive spins that outweigh the perceived negative aspects will help people understand.

Yeah, write the damn letter already, quit bitching about it!  Or better yet, have your offspring write a letter, kids are great political props.

[Dirtyhip]

35 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

Yeah, write the damn letter already, quit bitching about it!  Or better yet, have your offspring write a letter, kids are great political props.

Not a letter.  They should write a full blown PR piece for the newspaper.  

They should address the concerns of a previous event, and what is being done to prevent damage for future events.  Compaction, soil erosion and litter are legitimate concerns.  Care should be taken to avoid all of these issues.  If the weather looks really bad for an event, maybe a modification of course set up should be considered.  More gravel, less grassy zones.  If you do incorporate grass on a muddy day, make sure it isn't in zone that will greatly impact the park.  Maybe route the riders through a zone that people might not notice so much.

We have to work to be the best land stewards we can be.  The target is already on our backs, because we are on bikes and not on foot.  I've seen far more push back about bike events than running events.  A good foot forward can really help.  

Maybe you can spearhead a beautification project.  Not just fix the grass but plant flowers, trees, and shrubbery.    You might be surprised about how willing the city parks will be to fund a project such as that.   They often need help from volunteers to keep a park beautiful.

[donkpow]

I don't like this but I don't like a lot of things. I like 'green space'.