Trailblazers Report
10 LakeTalk March 2017
We are often asked questions about the trail network in the Lake Linganore Planned Urban Development( PUD) and about the Trailblazers Committee( the“ guardians” of the trail system) by both those folks who have recently moved to the community and by some long-time residents. So, in this month’ s Trailblazers Report we will attempt to give a summary of the history of the trail network in our community and the Lake Linganore Association( LLA) Trailblazers Committee over the pass 20 + years. This information was both gleaned from past copies of“ LakeTalk”( and its predecessor“ Lake Linganore News”) and from the knowledge and memory of the columnist. Hopefully, this information will provide the reader with a better insight and understanding of the detailed( and sometimes seemingly slow-growth) history of the trails in the community and the work and effort that went( and still goes) into their existence, maintenance and growth over these many years of the Lake Linganore PUD.
An Amenities Committee, consisting of a group of Lake Linganore residents, was formed in the fall of 1995. By that winter and following spring of 1996 a sub-committee known as the” Trailblazers” was busy with plans to review the current trail system and to develop plans for more trails. They wanted to begin work on recovering much of the originally planned walking / hiking trail system. Over the years since the origin conception of Lake Linganore this trail system had been either reclaimed by nature or had had some easements absorbed by developers or homeowners. The group also hoped to provide a comprehensive map of the Linganore PUD trail system in the near future.
Throughout 1996-1999 restoration of the trails began. There were many work sessions when a number of trails were cleared, piping and culverts were installed under several paths to address drainage issues, and a few new trails that were not part of the originally-designed trail system were built. Mapping of the trail network started, and in the summer of 1996 rough maps of the trail system in several individual villages were published in the LakeTalk. The series of village maps included trails in the areas of Coldstream, North Shore, Meadows, Pinehurst / Lake Anita Louise, Summerfield, and small areas of Balmoral and Nightingale. At that time development in Aspen and West Winds villages was sparse and Woodridge village had yet to be started. During this time Trailblazers became a full-fledged committee, separate from Amenities. From time to time there were special interest sub-committees within Trailblazers( Environmental [ later Friends of the Lake ], Mountain bikers, Horseback riders, etc.). Development of a Trail Maintenance Plan( for the LLA staff and the group) and funding of special projects were other items the group worked on. Other groups within the community( individuals, villages, Boy and Girl Scouts) initiated and funded other projects, including an Eagle Scout bridge in the Indian Caves area, a set of stairs in Aspen village, a network of paved paths in Meadows village, and a boardwalk around part of Lake Anita Louise.
In the spring of 2001 the first hardcopy Lake Linganore Trail Map was created. During late winter / early spring the committee field-checked all the main trails, wrote map descriptions, and reviewed the map for accuracy. The map was in color and included in each trail description was an assessment of its difficulty, the walking time, and availability of parking at the trailhead. This map was revised in the fall of 2005.
Throughout the next decade or so the group worked with LLA Board of Directors( Board) and staff to set aside a reserve to fund trail restoration projects and submitted a yearly list of suggested projects and areas in need of repair. Several Trailblazers members participated in meetings with representatives of the developer, LLA staff, and county planning personnel concerning future build-out of parts of the PUD and the inclusion of trails in those areas. Some trails were temporarily closed during that time due to Community Development Authority( CDA) construction in existing villages and infrastructure and home building in sections of newer villages and planned villages. During these years the committee continued to maintain many of the trails on a monthly basis along with much help from the LLA Maintenance staff. The LLA Trail Maintenance Plan was revised and approved by the Board for use by staff and the committee. It detailed the Trailblazers Committee responsibilities and those of the Maintenance staff and also served as the Board’ s charter officially recognizing the activities and contributions of the group as a standing LLA committee. The group furthermore managed to also conduct hikes once or twice a year inside and outside the Lake Linganore community.
There were several enhancements added to the trail system and additional trails and sections of trails were developed. Probably the most important structure added during this time was the Ben’ s