How a recent ‘failure’ is propelling MORC forward

Photo credit: Erin Dean // @rin.rides

As President of MORC, I haven’t had many chances to be part of starting a brand new trail. Most of the projects that have come to life in my time were set in motion by the previous board. Gunnar Carlson deserves a lot of credit for that. He put in the work to set those projects up for success, and we’re still seeing the impact.

There was one last trail idea Gunnar had helped pursue in the west Metro. It sat quiet for a while, but this spring it started gaining momentum. MORC board member Pat Hoffman and I attended a local parks and recreation board meeting, where the trail was approved to advance to the city council. That meeting was held last week and, unfortunately, the council voted not to proceed with the project planning phase.

Some might call this a failure. I don’t see it that way. Here’s how this experience has been a step forward for MORC.

It gave us an opportunity to learn.

For me and two of our newer MORC board members, Pat and Jennifer Nowlin, it was a powerful learning experience. I had to reach out to past presidents to better understand the RTP (Recreational Trails Program) process. I attended meetings with city staff. I watched firsthand how opposition can show up and present their case.

We brought in new energy.

Even though Jennifer had just joined the MORC board, she immediately jumped in and began connecting with west Metro high school MTB coaches to encourage riders and their families to speak up at the meeting. This doesn’t happen every day. It was inspiring to see a brand-new board member step up like that and help rally a group of kids who just want somewhere local to ride.

We built a foundation for future success.

This trail idea was always a bit of a long shot. It wasn’t a huge system, but it would have filled a real need by giving nearby high school teams access to training grounds connected to commuter trails. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted this time, but we built relationships, sharpened our tools, and gained a better understanding of how these decisions get made.

We’re looking ahead…

I’m hopeful that another west Metro city will recognize the value of a trail like this. The demand is clear, and so is the opportunity.

Thanks to everyone who gave it a shot. Your effort wasn’t wasted.