More bike trails, kayaking opportunities in store for Berea?

Special to The Register

The new Berea Mountain Bike Park opened on Friday in Berea.

Berea's mountain bike park has been successful so far according to a recent survey but officials say plans are underway to increase the city's outdoor attractions including more mountain biking trails and kayaking.

At a recent meeting of Berea City Council Dr. Louisa Summers and her student assistants presented data predicting that Berea Mountain Bike Park would attract around 4,000 visitors a year.

Summers a professor of health and human performance at Berea College and chair of the Berea Trail Town Council said the bike park has undoubtedly contributed to economic development. 67% of survey participants said they plan to dine at Berea when they're done According to the study the average cost of a trip to Berea at a bike park is $35. "I'm very happy with that," Summers said.

What's more Summers noted that more than half of the 50 people surveyed reported a household income of $75,000 or more and that Berea could get a larger share of that tourism income.

"Mountain biking is an expensive hobby and mountain bikers have money to spend," Summers told the city council urging the city to work on expanding cross-marketing to attract more tourists to the city on mountain bikes and shared-use trails then it's best to keep them in town attractions Like the Levitt AMP Berea concert series.

Meanwhile the city is exploring other strategies to attract tourists to stay longer. The first is the second stage of the mountain bike trail. The second will be finding ways to expand Silver Creek kayaking opportunities.

“The Kentucky Mountain Bike Association expressed an interest in helping build new trails and actually providing the labor to create the trails,” Fraley said. "The City of Berea and the Berea Industrial Development Authority own land in the nearby Menelaus Industrial Park Silver Creek is not suitable for industrial development or corporate land. I envision we'll do what the old bike parks did: open up a part of the land unsuitable for industrial development for the people who own it the local citizens. Berea. "

No specific site has been identified nor whether it will be privately or publicly owned or both Fraley said. In any case the goal is to benefit local residents while attracting new tourists he said.

"To me it makes sense - making sure citizens can benefit from the city owning the land and attracting people into the city for sports and leisure tourism which in turn helps our local businesses," said Ferguson. Reilly said. "It's especially helpful for our restaurants but in It's time we hope we can help our lodging industry including our hotels motels and Airbnb as well as our small business retail stores gas stations and antique stores. "

Fraley also revealed plans to build on existing kayaking opportunities in Berea. Kayaking is currently available at the Owsley Fork Reservoir but last year Fraley said he and former public works director Donnie Davidson were kayaking on Silver Creek from the bridge on Hwy 1016 to a fork near White Station bridge. It was the inspiration for a new idea that Fraley said.

"There are parts of the creek that are very beautiful. I wanted to see if we could safely and effectively create a trail that would open up the creek to residents and tourists who might want to kayak on a bike tour," Fralee said.

Combining the two new opportunities with the city's existing shared-use trails and Pinnacles could entice people to stay longer Fraley said.

"Maybe then you'll have someone who wants to come here for a weekend or a week," Fraley said. “Expanding these recreational opportunities is something I want to do during the next mayoral term. My dream is to bring people into town for the little vacations they leave behind A couple of nights maybe a long weekend maybe we'll get to the point where maybe someone will come to Berea for a whole week on vacation. We have a lot to offer. History Students at Berea College Make Berea Arts and Crafts Scene Unique Dining Room and Outdoors entertainment. With all of that there's a chance someone decides they want to stay for a week. "