By Debe Shafer, Parks & Recreation Board Vice Chair
In the last nine months, we’ve seen many people discover and explore College Station’s 54 wonderful parks. We’ve especially noticed that more people are using the fabulous Lick Creek Hike and Bike Trail.
Yay!
The trail opened in 2016 and provides an opportunity to walk, run, and cycle on a paved surface completely separated from roadways. It winds through beautiful wooded areas with pleasant rest stops and accessible places to view birds and wildlife. The multi-use trail is intended to be used for recreation, exercise, and enjoyment by people of all ages and abilities.
With so many people using the trail, proper etiquette is necessary if we want safe and enjoyable experiences for all. Here’s some simple suggestions:
- Be considerate — share the trail, keep to the right, and be aware of other trail users.
- Keep your pets on leashes and remove their waste.
- Obey posted signs.
Cyclists should:
- Yield to pedestrians.
- Maintain a safe speed and slow down on curves, intersections, and congested areas.
- Communicate before passing — say “On your left” or signal with a bike bell before passing from behind.
- Pass on the left and look ahead and behind to make sure all is clear.
- Wear a helmet.
We look forward to our trails and greenways’ continued growth as we strive for a system that connects all College Station’s parks. The pandemic has proven that parks, trails, and open spaces contribute significantly to our mental and physical health as well as our overall quality of life.
We also extend a hearty shout out to the Parks and Recreation Department for maintaining the delightful parks and facilities that provide so many memorable experiences for our community.
About the Blogger
Debe Shafer is vice chair of the Parks & Recreation Board and recently retired from Texas A&M’s Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences. In four decades as an educator, she also taught and coached on the high school and middle school levels. A native of College Station, Debe graduated from Texas A&M.
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