The following is the text of an email that Bex and I sent to aldermen, mayor and staff prior to tonight's city council meeting. The meeting is at 6:30pm 3rd floor of city hall. If you can't make the meeting, please post your thoughts or anything that you would like Bex and I to share with the city tonight.


Ladies and gentlemen

I am writing you today on behalf of Friends of Off Road Cycling (F.O.R.C.). Our group would like to thank you for the support that you have shown thus far to Sylvan Island. We would like you to know that we are committed to making Sylvan even better than it has ever been. We support the efforts of the officials and staff that are working to reopen the island. We have been in contact with a wide array of park users and people like Norm Moline who is a preservationist and was instrumental in revitalizing Sylvan. After these discussions we have a few ideas that we would like you to consider as we move forward.

We recognize the city for its effort to do everything possible to reopen the island. We ask that the city continue working on this until we have a solution that will meet the needs of all. Our offer to help in any way possible stands. At our monthly meeting yesterday it was clear that our members are ready to work with you to make this project a success.

We would like you to consider forming a committee of citizen advisors to help make Sylvan a destination while preserving the unique wilderness and industrial heritage of the island. F.O.R.C. is committed to working with all so that when this project is complete, the taxpayers feel that we have been good stewards of their money.

Our idea is that the design of the bridge, whether new or rebuilt, will be unique and worthy of a community landmark status in itself. We have an opportunity make the bridge a reflection of the industrial heritage of the island, not just a simple utilitarian access. We are looking for innovative solutions that will not raise the price of the bridge beyond our budget.

We wonder what types of flexibility in design can be incorporated in the budget and conceptual design process. Not understanding the rules that dictate projects like this, we ask if RFPs and other creative solutions might allow as much input from all parties as is reasonable.

We envision some next steps working with the city to move the entrance to the park to River Drive and find a way to incorporate a multi use path entrance and signage that will invite people onto the island to use the mountain bike trails, run, fish, hike, bird watch, kayak or just simply enjoy the unique beauty of Sylvan. We also have a great access point to the Great River Trail. We are committed to the long term success of Sylvan.

We thank you for the efforts that you have made to keep Moline a first class city. We appreciate the open dialogue that we have enjoyed thus far. We look forward to doing our part to make Sylvan great.