I think it has been more than five years since I began advocating for trails in Oceanside. At that time, I was advocating for trails near the Oceanside airport, and it just so happened that concurrently SDMBA (San Diego Mountain Bike Assn.) was trying to get a “Gateway” trail and pump track at Ron Ortega Park, an “official” bike and trail site according to the Oceanside Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Ultimately both our efforts failed and we were told five years ago, “we’ll be ready with ‘something’ five years from now.” And currently, five years later, we may have to wait “five more years.” Lets not make it 20– join the OTC.
Cities and states have suffered throughout the country with budget and staff cuts. In spite of that, there is really no excuse for continuing to fail to plan for trail circulation in a city of 170,000 that is soon to be 125 years old! From what we know, others have come before us to advocate for trails, so perhaps the history of trail advocacy goes back more than a decade. Please join me and OTC to ensure a bright future for trails in Oceanside.