Cyclocross and Park Damage

[elapid]

Does anyone have any studies on the damage that cyclocross racing does (or does not do) to parks?

The local city councils in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) have cancelled the remainder of the cyclocross season citing damage to their local parks (see http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/04/bike-racing-114.html). Yes, they do get muddy and the trails are obvious as a result of cyclocross racing, but then the snow falls (so the damage done by racing is not visible) and then the trails disappear when the snow thaws and the grass grows in the spring. However, this is just what has happened every other year and it would be good to have scientific studies to present to our local representatives to show the impact that cyclocross racing has on their parks.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fatandfast]

donate your labor. Entire bike club and families doing a trash walk for an hour and then have a BBQ. Offer to reseed the effected areas..probably costs about a couple hundred bucks..cross contaminate the sponsors..ask Home Depot or Lowes to donated the seed and 3 or 4 huge banners that you put up on the race route..print up a low key sign saying we take only memories and leave only foot prints..race track restored by Home Depot/XYZ cycling team. Plus it gives non-racers something to do.. an old guy w a rake/shovel.. Moms w smaller kids walking the route picking up general litter. Take a PR picture of all the crap you pick up. It's Canada..so go the angle that a park is place for young people to ride bikes vs the heavy traffic,busy,dangerous roads..if you don't have one get a citizens and kids class race. Fat politicos have a hard time saying know to kids. Also if your club is like all the rest(99% men) get your wife or somebody else's hot wife to get the paperwork approved..the less male involvement the better. Call that fat guy that one the Toronto race and have him make a call..he really wants to hear from cyclists that don't want to punch him in the gut. Also think about a dual use of the race course..ride and tie. Equal number of runners/cyclists. Divide the track into halves..Runners and riders are partnered. At the start line,,the bike in front of and being held by the runner..starting gun..bikes take off..race to the half way point..and there is a tri style bike rack..Gun goes off again 1 minute later runners take off racing to the bike rack..keep changing places for 2 or 3 laps..way fun. Also it's gets you runner's ,their families and supporters/sponsors. I remember having the police tell use to eat sh-t..then we got kids involved things went way better. Even the porta potties are cheaper for hot chicks..sorry to say that's just the way it is..Come on man don't let your race go down without a fight. If you get kids involved do a helmet giveaway..you can buy kids helmets for @3.75$..you don't have to pay for them just get a doctors office or hospitals to write the check to prorider.com/org. trying to get people to give cash or product for adults is a pain kids safety is way easier w the right pitch..plus it makes you look more like a nice guy/club rather than the fanatics you really are. Find some TV/radio people and give them free entry and promote a race between the Mayor and the city council or TV stations against one another..an on air challenge will get you something..all you need is one team in that ride and tie..call the race The Denis Simpson race for kids...Denis and his story are going to do it for you. Make sure to write back and tell me how much cash you made

kids/public race/citizens/child safety/general fitness

 

[Hammerhed]

FatandFast

Sir, What a great answer! Very well though out, well organized, and practical.

 

[elapid]

Thanks, fatandfast. The organizers of the series are doing most of what you recommended. Cleanups, maintenance, seeding, etc have all been readily volunteered by both the organizers and the racers. The 'cross series in Ottawa is very family orientated with many children of all ages involved in the races. There is a ground swell of well-organized and -intentioned people trying to raise awareness through different avenues of the popularity, with both racers and spectators alike, and family-orientated nature of 'cross racing and the benefit it has to the community. The 'cross series is 20 years old here, so the City Councils are likely aware of the environmental impact of 'cross racing on their parks, both short-term and long-term. However, what we really need to save THIS season is scientific studies reporting on the impact of 'cross racing on the environment.

 

[kiwirider]

Thanks to both Elapid and Fatandfast for your input on this.

There is clearly some history behind this problem - it was brought to light by a combination of snow on Sunday, some poor ******* crashing and breaking his leg (near compound fracture - reportedly recovering well) and the need to divert the course around him - which inadvertently broke the rules of the permit by "crossing" the soccer field at the park ("edging against" is a more accurate description ...). Basically this appears to have given those who want a chance to hit out at the series the ammunition that they need ...

Coming from NZ, the council's reasoning is laughable. If anyone saw the state of the rugby and soccer grounds down there after a season - both sports are winter codes, which means that they are played in the wettest time of the year in a very wet country - where the combination of the studded boots and sliding players (tackles and scoring tries) means that there's scarcely a blade of grass on the field by midway through a season, let alone the end they'd know how ridiculous the council is being. Despite the damage those fields get, by the middle of each spring they are lush and green again - without any work having been done to them.

So, if anyone here is reading this in NZ or Oz and possibly has any photos or information about park rehabilitation there, it'd be really appreciated if you could post a link or send something through to us.

And if anybody reading feels the urge to help generate some pressure on the council here, someone's put together a standard letter to send off. I realise that it is designed for us locals, but most cities are sensitive to bad publicity from outside of their city limits - so with a slight rewrite it may help keep some pressure on. Anyhow, the link to follow is http://www.cyclocross.org

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help ...

 

[fatandfast]

No matter what you do..don't turn it into a showdown. City council people are often disappointed at the tiny thimble of power they have on things. You and your club may be the person they can control vs all the things the council can't control. Your race club web sight is colorful and positive. It shows lots of positives about your activity..you may need to a quick power point presentation..don't do it to change thee minds of the members..Just a simple statement/question..Have you seen a cyclocross?Oh that's what I thought here is what it looks like. If they think cyclocross is motocross or some hybrid of it you may be fighting people who have seen Xgames highlights or imagine something motorcycle gang thing. I quick presentation of kids.women racing may be harder for them to reject. If the parks use is divided into a fraction and you keep selling the 2 days you want and you promise to leave the part in peace for the other 363 days that year. All we(men,women and children) are asking for is 2 out of 365 isn't that reasonable?

 

[Ripper]

Wow, civic politics gone bonkers! What a bunch of nits.

I don't know of scientific studies per se, but would it perhaps be useful to use case studies from any other cities, where the damage is clearly gone by spring? With the many Europeans on this site, getting a decent number of stories should be possible. In Vancouver there have been numerous courses used year after year in areas that would not want the riders back if the damage were permenant. And we don't even get the snow to cover it up during the winter!

 

[DirtyWorks]

Listen to FatandFast

FatandFast is saying don't reply directly to the request for scientific impact studies. He's 100% right.

The request for studies is always followed by a swift dismantling of the study by the people who do not want your race in "their" park. So, provide a picture before the event, then one of about the same area in the dead of winter, then the last in late spring when the grass is up again and remind them of:

-The number of visitors you bring to the park. Take some of FatandFast's ideas. They are golden. It might not happen this year, but don't quit. Plan to do next year.
-The amount of revenue generated for the park, or at least surrounding area. The people that come buy stuff.

You have to discover how they justify their jobs and then use the same language while providing 'cover' for them to have you at the park. As simple as that sounds, it is what good/great salespeople do and it's not a skill everyone has.

Finally, I checked your site out. You've got a serious PR problem. You almost need someone out there encouraging riders to go elsewhere. Maybe maps with some smaller loop locations might be useful to publish and circulate? The point is to address the immediate cycling complaints proactively.

 

[TexPat]

Thanks to both Elapid and Fatandfast for your input on this.

There is clearly some history behind this problem - it was brought to light by a combination of snow on Sunday, some poor ******* crashing and breaking his leg (near compound fracture - reportedly recovering well) and the need to divert the course around him - which inadvertently broke the rules of the permit by "crossing" the soccer field at the park ("edging against" is a more accurate description ...). Basically this appears to have given those who want a chance to hit out at the series the ammunition that they need ...

Coming from NZ, the council's reasoning is laughable. If anyone saw the state of the rugby and soccer grounds down there after a season - both sports are winter codes, which means that they are played in the wettest time of the year in a very wet country - where the combination of the studded boots and sliding players (tackles and scoring tries) means that there's scarcely a blade of grass on the field by midway through a season, let alone the end they'd know how ridiculous the council is being. Despite the damage those fields get, by the middle of each spring they are lush and green again - without any work having been done to them.

So, if anyone here is reading this in NZ or Oz and possibly has any photos or information about park rehabilitation there, it'd be really appreciated if you could post a link or send something through to us.

And if anybody reading feels the urge to help generate some pressure on the council here, someone's put together a standard letter to send off. I realise that it is designed for us locals, but most cities are sensitive to bad publicity from outside of their city limits - so with a slight rewrite it may help keep some pressure on. Anyhow, the link to follow is http://www.cyclocross.org

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help ...

Sorry guys.
Although what we have in NZ is in the infant stage, and has no where near the level of participation enjoyed in The Great White North, I will as a matter of honor post some photos of the grass before and after my humble events. Yes, there was damage, but as mentioned before, the climate here allows for very quick recovery. There were no complaints voiced after any of the races, either by the council or denizens. Still, I reckon that diplomacy is paramount when negotiating this one, and not scientific studies, which often have the opposite effect (have a look at what the impact studies cited by mtb organizations earned them with regards to access in the US National Parks.)
Good luck.

 

[kiwirider]

Sorry guys.
Although what we have in NZ is in the infant stage, and has no where near the level of participation enjoyed in The Great White North, I will as a matter of honor post some photos of the grass before and after my humble events. Yes, there was damage, but as mentioned before, the climate here allows for very quick recovery. There were no complaints voiced after any of the races, either by the council or denizens. Still, I reckon that diplomacy is paramount when negotiating this one, and not scientific studies, which often have the opposite effect (have a look at what the impact studies cited by mtb organizations earned them with regards to access in the US National Parks.)
Good luck.

Thanks mate - I was almost going to PM you to see how you'd got on with the council down there ... especially given how wet our last winter was.

Agree with your idea of diplomacy - however I understand (since am only a participant rather than involved in organisation) that the council refuses to even engage in conversation ... which makes diplomacy hard to pursue ...

BTW - re your description of your "humble events" ... you may not have the hilly terrain, sand pits and snow that we have here to make the events "interesting" (or whatever other euphemism for "leave me wanting to spew my guts out after an hour" you want to use), but believe me that your course up at California Park is every bit as nasty as anything that Bob and Ian have come up with here.

 

[noflyzone_allstars]

The people who put on the 'Cross Crusade series in Portland OR have a nice presentation on impacts of races with before/after images. This is a hugely attended series in a wet climate. I had a weblink to it but it's dead now. You can probably track it down through the interwebs. I believe River City bikes puts on the series.

Good luck!

 

[fatandfast]

not sure if you have read anything about the Red Zinger revival race that is being held next year with Quiznos as the title sponsor. I read on another site that it will cost Aspen @180k to put on the stage. The local politicians comments about ways to use the closed streets for other purposes including celebrity races was really cool..plus the stage is being held midweek and thye have other events..fun runs,mtb races,ect hoping to fill hotels into the weekend..I am not sure were I saw the comments..maybe Pez?