In a surprising turn of events at the June 3 Park,Recreation & Open Space (PROS) Commission meeting, Walnut Creek officials announced the cancellation of the long-debated Lime Ridge flow trail project. Public Works Manager Mike Vickers cited prioritization of larger city projects as the primary reason.

“There are a lot of large projects taking place across the city,” explained Vickers. “Public Works is involved in every aspect of those projects. We are focusing our efforts on those larger projects and devoting less time to discretionary ones.”

Vickers noted that the flow trail idea emerged four or five years ago to address the proliferation of unauthorized trails disrupting the environment. “Today many of those trails have been restored. The Open Space is in much better condition than it has been historically. The flow trail is just one of the 17 recommendations for Management of the Open Space; we will continue to work on the other 16.”

 

The flow trail garnered strong support from the mountain biking community, which shares Walnut Creek’s 2,700 acres of open space with hikers, runners, and horseback riders. 

Clayton Dewberry, a Northgate-area resident and avid cyclist, highlighted the growing popularity of mountain biking, especially since 2020. “The opening of a mountain bike trail on Lime Ridge would be a huge step towards legitimizing a growing user group in our parks and open spaces. We have a trail access issue; adding the flow trail just makes another trail available for riders.”

However, not everyone supported the project. The proposed trail ignited a contentious debate among nearby residents. In response, the Protect Lime Ridge Open Space association emerged, advocating for the preservation of natural lands on Shell Ridge, and voicing concerns about safety and environmental impacts. 

A petition opposing the flow trail, signed by 2,100 residents, citing among other things, the Lime Ridge Master Plan’s prohibition of such changes to the Open Space.

“These manmade attractions are not in keeping with the premise of leaving the Open Spaces in their natural state,” said Rancho Paraiso resident Valerie Gardner. “We oppose building anything in the Open Space, and specifically we oppose building a flow trail that turns the protected land into a regional recreational attraction.”