Local Wheeling

i am not sure how the BOD feels about it but i think that if the land can be obtained, and we can find a way to keep people from going on to the property then we could have a good start to an off-road park. It might be good revenue for the club i was reading about a club that did this down in tenessee and they held meetings and eveything there. But we would have to make sure that anyone getting hurt their would not be the resposiblity of the club.

I think that their would be people willing to put the time in to create a nice place to wheel as long as it is not something that is going to bring a bad name to the club. We would want the state and the surrounding area's to accept it. It might stop some of the kids from taring up fields and give 4 wheeling a better name in the state.

-Chris
( Way, to much time at work to think about this. )

It's an idea that definately warrants a discussion at the meetings. The big thing is financing. No matter how much work can be done through club members there are always other costs. I'm not sure the club could absorb too much additional cost at this point. A lot would depend on the lease price.

Right but if i remeber right Ruth Ann ( that name makes me ) wanted to open the Canal up as a state park. Maybe we coudl get it state funded and offer our services to run the park. It is a though, even though it might be a long shot some one could ask. The state could use it as revenue and like i said it woudl give people a legal place to off-road.

Personally I don't like the idea. There's just so much to deal with - purchase, set up, maintenance, insurance, tresspassers, taxes, fees - that you'd need to have someone assigned to it full-time, and I don't think anyone in the club would want to take on that kind of responsibility.

If you can find some poor starving jeeper willing to live in a shack on the property and take care of it 24/7, have individuals buy "shares" to raise money, set up a non-profit organization to own it, then maybe.

But as a club "project", I don't think so...

that is a good point it might be somthing that the club coudl help out with but have a state emplyee run it? i dont know i like the idea but not sure who should right it.

If it becomes a state park then it will become an environmental friendly place which automatically bans us (in their eyes).

In Delaware, it would probably have to be done by a private party, like Blue Diamond, Paragon, and Rausch Creek.

not nessicarily if it were state run and people practiced enviromentally safe wheeling i dont see how it would be much different then a bike trail or horse trail where they make ruts and tear up the ground. I dont see much of a difference in my opinion. People tear up the beach just asmuch by driving on them as off-roaders do on the trails and if they are maintained it would safe for the rest of the environment that people jsut go off into and tear up. I am not making valid points, or i am wrong in my thinking tell me i will take no offence at all that is why we are discussing this on here. To discuss things.

Assateauge yes sorry, wasnt sure how to spell It, but heres another spelling error, Chingoteague? haha thats the place my parents are renting a house for a couple weeks.....wrong Island

anyways If Its something that we would want to discuss at a meeting let me know....I have tons of Information on the property....yes It does sit next to a residential neighbor hood but I know that It is in an Industrial park and is an Industrial used property...the owner is prety wealthy maybe he could fund the park? hehe or am I dreamin, we do the work.....

Quote from "ying"

Is Delmar to far for the northern guys? From looking at what PAP and Raush Creek cost per day a $100 a year does not sound bad since you can go anytime. I guess it may end up being an individual issue. For me, if I tried out the Delmar site and thought it was pretty cool, then maybe I would decide to join ESJA and pay the $100.

I wouldn't say it's too far for the northern guys, but I would think, and this is just me, not the opinion of all the northern people, that to drive the 2 hours I'd rather go to Paragon or RC. I guess it would depend on what the area has to offer in terrain though. I've never been to the DelMar site though.

Now, the southern guys might have a different opinion, being that it would be so much closer to them.

It would also depend on how often you go. If you're at Paragon every other weekend and paying full price, then $100 for the year to go whenever you want is a good deal. If you only get to go a few times a year then it might be different.

It's hard to say without knowing what the site is like.

paul you are absolutely right it would be better for southern people but this might be a place to hold competitions with in the club.

i dont want to speak for the club but i think we would like to talk & see if we could work togeather to create a private( not state affilated) wheeling area for us.i think the way to go is BUY the land ( a lease only last so long) but if we could get a few local clubs togeather on this who looses?yes there will be problems but nothing comes easy if we come togeather on this it COULD work

Rob
event cord ESJA

I agree with all of the above, this is 95 acres we are talking about so Its not small in any way....Buying the property would be the best bet but being able to afford It is another Issue, I say geting a sponsor would be the best bet, and they guy that owns the land could maybe be the sponsor and owner of the land If you maintained It, It might be a good Investment for him....thats is If he has no plans for the land anytime soon

should this be brought up at a meeting or what, I have the contact Info?

The idea of a local wheeling place is great but I don't know if it is very practical one for upstate Delaware. I think you would be hard pressed to find a location with zoning laws that would allow the type of off-road recreation park you are talking about. I can tell you the place behind Delaware Industrial park is not gonna happen, I live in Breezewood II which backs up to one of the big trails under the power lines. IT's great fun wheeling there for a little while before the cops show up but the neighboring residents will shoot down a proposal for an off-road park there in a minute. Remember most people don't wheel and unless you have tons of money the majority not in favor is gonna rule. I grew up around this spot and it has been an illegal wheeling spot for as long as I can remember for Jeeps, trucks, dirtbikes and 4 wheelers. Any given weekend you will still find people down there wheeling, so many people sometimes on various types of vehicles that it is down right dangerous.

A couple other thoughts though, how about the area around Blue Diamond off-road park, the guy that owns that place might be interested in an expansion subsidized by local clubs, it seems a little more feasible in a area that already has land for simlar off road activities and is a little farther away from the urban sprawl. I am all for the idea but I would suggest looking a little farther outside of the Newark area, how about just over the MD line off of RT. 40 between elkton and Northeast , there seems to be alot of undeveloped land back there off of Old Philadelphia Road and even off of Rt. 272 out towards Turkey Point. Some of the land is Elk Neck State Park but a lot is not.

Also the idea mentioned of state land is a good one, I would love the idea of finally permitting off road driving at the canals. It is such a perfect location with lots of different terrains, form rocks to sand, too mud and probably the only place in upstate Delaware that offers the opportunity of a short but decent hill climb. Why not push to make the canals state park land and designate part or all of it for off-road vehicles, they already limit usage like this for bikes and what not but they do allow it. I think part of the canal area is already leased for private/public use, I think it is the Delaware Retriever club. Maybe there is a chance of DEJA and some other clubs acquiring a portion of the area for off-road special use, essentially lease a section form the state. Come on you guys, everyone knows it would be sweet if we could wheel at the canal without threat of criminal charges. I think reaching for acquiring use of an area that is already used for or at least already has the trails and infrastructure for off-road vehicles, like the canal, is the way to go because even if we could get a piece of undeveloped land somewhere the cost of purchasing and cutting trails will be enormous.

Sorry to ramble on, I am finished now.....you may reply.

damn lol you had alot to say....but good points I must add...I agree with you 100%, I never threw the Idea out there because I know the area that the Industrial park is in would never work as an all-terrain park....With the neighborhood being so close theres no chance, and those power lines could also be potentially dangerous, this is why I never brought It up cause I knew It would never work, but since someone mentioned It I thought I'd throw It out there....Its a cool spot, but yes with the cops coming and all that Its not worth the risk....I like your Idea with the canal and bluediamond though, I was told by someone that blue diamond already had a small section for 4x4 vehicles, any one ever heard of anything like that? But yes by far the canal would be the best and most Ideal place for an all-terrain park, we really should look Into pushing for that as a state park as a club?