CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Biking trails would be greatly appreciated!

I have lived in the center of Bloomington near I-35W and 90th St for my entire life. It has been a bit disheartening to see that while western and southern Bloomington have great bike infrastructure, such as the Hyland-Bush-Anderson Lakes Park Reserve complex and the network of trails along the Minnesota River, other parts, such as the north and east, have been left largely without. A bike path along Nine Mile Creek would provide an outlet of safe and low-stress recreation, especially for youth. Connections to the Minnesota River and Oak Grove schools could provide further use for this trail. I don't think it's fair to say that bike trails would destroy this natural beauty. The existing walking trails exist only because the City built them in the past. I believe that there is a way to create a bike trail (and with it, the aforementioned benefits) while preserving this area.

A place I am lucky to call HOME!

A little over a year and a half ago, my wife and I were living in a townhouse apartment on the west side of the Midway neighborhood. The lease was up for renewal and our landlord, a slummy nationwide company, was trying to increase our rent by over 8%. Initially I had always dreamed of moving away from the cold weather and didn't even consider moving to the suburbs once my wife was done with school but this event sent us into having to change our plans and we chose to find a place around the twin cities to settle…

A Poetic Place by JBM

For the last forty plus years I have hiked, birded, and recorded wildflowers throughout the seasons along the multiple portions of 9-Mile Creek. My favorite trail leads from Harrison Park to the Minnesota River. It is an awesome trail with its meandering path providing inspiration to photographers, painters, and poets. While there are many bike trails, there are few such places which provide such an opportunity for serenity and creative expression. Just this week, I wrote the following in an attempt to capture the “poetry of place”, a view from the upper trail. It’s titled, “An Island on a Hill”…