Albuquerque Journal Westside

     Dec 04, 2007

     Public's Ideas On Trails Wanted

     By Carolyn Carlson, Journal Staff Writer

     It started with dreams of walking trails along area ditchbanks. And soon it will
     become a reality.

     People are now being asked to share their visions of how ditches with trails
     should look.

     There are about 300 miles of ditches criss-crossing the North and South Valleys,
     according to the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

     The design workshop will focus on the North Valley Demonstration Project that
     encompasses the Griegos Drain between Chavez and Griegos Roads.

     Organizers said the purpose of the workshop is to envision what the trail along
     that stretch should look like and to discuss opportunities and challenges of the
     project, and develop a conceptual design for the North Valley trail.

     The North Valley Demonstration Trail has received about $850,000 in legislative
     funding from state Sens. Dede Feldman and John Ryan, who represent the North
     Valley.

     The workshop is sponsored by the Ditches with Trails Project and managed by the
     Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Department.

     The Ditches with Trails Project is a public and private effort to preserve the
     existing ditch trail system and strengthen its recreational potential. It is a
     collaboration of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, the North Valley
     Coalition, the Vecinos del Bosque Neighborhood Association, the Rivers and Trails
     Program of the National Park Service, city of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County and
     the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.

     The South Valley demonstration project is along the Arenal and Atrisco drains.
     An action plan for the North Valley demonstration project is being developed and
     it will incorporate results from the three-day design workshop.

     U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson has said the ditchbanks are unique resources that should
     be preserved and used by all residents of the Albuquerque metropolitan area.

     In May, Bernalillo County's valley ditch system was named one of a dozen "Most
     Endangered Places" by the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance.

     The Bernalillo County ditches were described by the alliance as dating from the
     18th and 19th centuries, with drains from the 1930s. The ditches, primarily
     dirt-packed, feature narrow rights of way with banks to accommodate single
     walkers or a maintenance vehicle. They host cottonwood trees and other
     vegetation.

     North Valley Coalition president and Ditches with Trails steering committee
     member Chris Weller said the 300 miles of ditches are an important part of the
     valley's green belt and for preserving wildlife.

     For more information log on to www.ditcheswithtrails.org.

     Alta Planning + Design, a national firm specializing in trail planning, will lead
     the design development. Local facilitators, Kate Hildebrand and Ric Richardson,
     will lead the workshop. Albuquerque-based planning and engineering firms, Sites
     Southwest and Gannett Fleming, will assist with the design process.

     The agenda has been structured to be flexible and make the most of attendees'
     time, according to a news release.