Bike trails, pools on wish lists

Any time you ask readers for feedback, you'd better be ready for some surprises. A month ago, I noted that the Lowcountry is a great place to live if you love the outdoors and an active lifestyle, but that we do have shortcomings.

One example is that we could use more playing fields for burgeoning sports leagues that are starting to feature more teams, as well as less-conventional sports such as lacrosse and kickball. Other examples that I pointed out were more dog parks, an "epic" skateboard park and rubberized running tracks.

We asked readers for their opinions. Responses to the write-in ranged from the fairly obvious to the unusual.

Some common themes were swimming pools (more on that later this month) and more bike lanes and paved paths for bikes and in-line skates.

Cyclist Bobby Rone of Charleston mentioned that the Lowcountry has virtually no paved trails other than parts of the West Ashley Greenway (and we'll add Sawmill Branch in Summerville).

"If you live in St. Petersburg, Fla., you can ride the Pinellas Trail up to Tarpon Springs, have lunch and ride back on a paved trail. In Washington, D.C., you can ride on the Mount Vernon Trail to Alexandria. In Atlanta, they have the Silver Comet Trail," says Rone.

"Paved bike trails are sorely needed along the U.S. (Highway) 17 corridor, as well as in some areas of downtown Charleston."

Rone adds that paths need to connect to somewhere.

"The trail alongside the Ben Sawyer causeway, for example, is essentially worthless because it just ends and throws the rider right onto the dangerous bridge. On the other hand, there are great bike lanes on the IOP connector and James Island connector, but at the end of the bridges they end and simply throw the rider into the traffic."

Officials need to plan and act on building a bike and pedestrian network of trails and roads, he added.

Another reader suggests an all-purpose YMCA (in addition to the Y in Summerville and St. Andrews Family Fitness Plus in West Ashley).

Dr. Lance Davis of Mount Pleasant says that the Charleston area has some excellent fitness clubs, but that none has every element needed in an inclusive club. Those elements include a big gym, which includes free weights, aerobics, yoga, racquetball and a large lap swimming pool.

"Many cities have YMCAs that encompass all of this," says Davis. "The MUSC (Harper Student Center) wellness center does, too, but is not truly open to the public. Parking is a problem there, too."

The need for swimming pools was a theme from readers, especially in Summerville and Goose Creek.

Summerville resident Marina Sharts says, "I have arthritis and my M.D. recommended I swim to keep the joints flexible. I also have grandchildren in town I would take to the pool frequently, if we had one. I think Summerville needs to build at least two pools."

Jane West of Hanahan says she thinks a 50-meter pool would be perfect next to the ballfields behind Trident Technical College.

"They (the city) would get revenue from students there as well as Hanahan residents. It would also draw people from Goose Creek and North Charleston as well, and would be a huge community service."

One of my favorite responses, however, had less to do with bricks and mortar, or pavement, and more to do with just organization.

Shawn Payment of Johns Island laments that boating in Charleston "appears limited to those that can afford and/or obtain access to yacht clubs or afford shiny factory-made fiberglass boats.

"That shouldn't be the case, particularly not in an area with as rich a maritime history as Charleston! If anyone else would be interested in forming such a group here in Charleston, you may feel free to provide my contact information as a point of contact."

Payment's e-mail address is shawn.payment@nelsonmullins.com.

What's the solution? Before moving back to Charleston in 2004, Payment was a member of a group of small-boat enthusiasts in San Diego called the "Southern California Small Boat Messabout Society."

Payment described it as a "nonexclusive, low-cost, carefree group" existing only to connect people with the water on small boats.

"I have yet to locate a similar group here in Charleston, but I think we need one," says Payment. "To quote the Water Rat from Ken Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows': 'There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.' "

Another unexpected request was a velodrome, suggested by a cyclist and one of the founding organizers of the Cooper River Bridge Run, Brian Smith of Mount Pleasant.

A velodrome is a sporting arena built for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate easement curve.

"It would furnish serious riders with 'safe' training and also be available for youngsters and families at set times," says Smith.

Fran Clasby of Charleston says she never used the velodrome when she was living in San Diego, but that she had miles of uninterrupted bike paths there. She adds that she enjoys riding her bike at Hampton Park at the times it's closed to motor vehicles.

"I wish it could be permanently closed to vehicles," she says. "As the president of Wagener Terrace Neighborhood Association, I am working toward that goal."

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com.