Post by admin on Apr 2, 2009 8:00:38 GMT -5
POSTED: February 18, 2009
By JESSE HELLING, Messenger staff writer at te Messenger.
Fort Dodge, IA
Played-out gypsum mines south of Fort Dodge have seen new life in recent times.
In July 2006, the Gypsum City Off-Highway Vehicle Park opened near the intersection of Webster County Road P59 and 219th Street.
The 300-acre park is owned by Webster County Improvement Corp. The Webster County Wheelers, a local riding group, leases the land and operates the facility with support from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
The park’s creation provided space for all-terrain vehicles — four-wheelers, dirt bikes and the like — to be operated legally.
The vision for creating the park began with Larry Leiting, of Fort Dodge, who was inspired after reading an article about a proposed OHV park near Pleasant Hill several years ago.
At the time, Leiting was the chairman of the board of the Fort Dodge Convention and Visitors Bureau. He mentioned the park idea to fellow board members, who were immediately supportive.
Detailed discussions with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and local gypsum companies followed.
In September 2004, the Iowa Natural Resources Commission approved creation of the park.
The park, as opened in 2006, is considered the first phase of a project that may eventually encompass 1,400 acres.
Phase one includes approximately15 miles of trails, along with a one-and-a-half mile motocross course, a safety training area, a youth riding area and a parking area for 350 vehicles.
Eventually, the park — which could become Iowa’s largest — may include camping and picnicking areas, along with the additional trails.
“That’s still in the works,” Leiting said.
According to Leiting, discussions with neighboring landowners are under way.
In 2008, a maintenance building was completed at the park, he said.
Also that year, the Iowa Legislature voted to restore funding that had been previously earmarked for construction of ATV facilities.
The measure, which was championed by state Sen. Daryl Beall, D-Fort Dodge, and state Rep. Helen Miller, D-Fort Dodge, transferred $775,000 into an account that pays for recreation like the Gypsum City Off Highway Vehicle Park.
The money for those funds comes from registration fees paid by ATV and snowmobile owners.
In 2002 state lawmakers took all that money to plug a budget deficit.
In so doing, maintenance and expansion of off-highway vehicle parks throughout the state suffered, said Dan Kleen, president of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Association.
Kleen, of Pocahontas, was one of several leaders in the effort to create Gypsum City.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net
Website www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/513754.html?nav=5141
By JESSE HELLING, Messenger staff writer at te Messenger.
Fort Dodge, IA
Played-out gypsum mines south of Fort Dodge have seen new life in recent times.
In July 2006, the Gypsum City Off-Highway Vehicle Park opened near the intersection of Webster County Road P59 and 219th Street.
The 300-acre park is owned by Webster County Improvement Corp. The Webster County Wheelers, a local riding group, leases the land and operates the facility with support from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
The park’s creation provided space for all-terrain vehicles — four-wheelers, dirt bikes and the like — to be operated legally.
The vision for creating the park began with Larry Leiting, of Fort Dodge, who was inspired after reading an article about a proposed OHV park near Pleasant Hill several years ago.
At the time, Leiting was the chairman of the board of the Fort Dodge Convention and Visitors Bureau. He mentioned the park idea to fellow board members, who were immediately supportive.
Detailed discussions with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and local gypsum companies followed.
In September 2004, the Iowa Natural Resources Commission approved creation of the park.
The park, as opened in 2006, is considered the first phase of a project that may eventually encompass 1,400 acres.
Phase one includes approximately15 miles of trails, along with a one-and-a-half mile motocross course, a safety training area, a youth riding area and a parking area for 350 vehicles.
Eventually, the park — which could become Iowa’s largest — may include camping and picnicking areas, along with the additional trails.
“That’s still in the works,” Leiting said.
According to Leiting, discussions with neighboring landowners are under way.
In 2008, a maintenance building was completed at the park, he said.
Also that year, the Iowa Legislature voted to restore funding that had been previously earmarked for construction of ATV facilities.
The measure, which was championed by state Sen. Daryl Beall, D-Fort Dodge, and state Rep. Helen Miller, D-Fort Dodge, transferred $775,000 into an account that pays for recreation like the Gypsum City Off Highway Vehicle Park.
The money for those funds comes from registration fees paid by ATV and snowmobile owners.
In 2002 state lawmakers took all that money to plug a budget deficit.
In so doing, maintenance and expansion of off-highway vehicle parks throughout the state suffered, said Dan Kleen, president of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Association.
Kleen, of Pocahontas, was one of several leaders in the effort to create Gypsum City.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net
Website www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/513754.html?nav=5141