Resident Will Gregory wants to see more of you use the existing mountain bike trails at Big Hill Park before it is further expanded. His petition triggered a discussion at Wednesday’s Joint Parks and Recreation Committee/Board Meeting. The petition, which has been signed by 30 individuals surrounding the park, calls for the Friends of Big Hill Park group to pause their expansion efforts that will add more than an additional mile onto the existing system. It specifically calls for the city to remove the western side of Big Hill Park from trail construction, remove extra debris from the park's eastern side, and keep the trail to the sledding hill unobstructed. Gregory says he and his dog walk in the park almost daily at different times, estimating he has visited thousands of times since the park was established six years ago. Outside of a few tire tracks on those walks, he adds that it has been rare to see bikers using the trails. He insists he is not anti-trail but believes they are harming the forest irreparably without the traffic to show for it.

We could not reach Matt Young of the Friends of Big Hill Park for this story. Still, according to the meeting’s agenda packet, he writes that they are sensitive to the trails’ location to nearby homes, maintaining a 50-foot minimum setback from property owners. The goal of the trail system is to have loops for beginner and advanced riders with multiple route options. In addition to park clean-up efforts, the group would like to add an informational kiosk and signposts to guide visitors. The meeting is scheduled to take place inside the council chambers of Sturgeon Bay City Hall at 5 p.m.