Activities and accomplishments

The Coachella Valley Community Trails Alliance began to take shape in January 2006 when local developer Mike Granum contracted with Mr. LeGrand Velez to begin forming a nonprofit organization to plan and advocate for a regional trial system in the Coachella Valley.   As the idea of this initiative spread, many people have come forward to offer their support and encouragement for this community improvement effort.  The Coachella Valley is rapidly developing.  The opportunity to build a regional urban trail system will be missed unless CVCTA receives continued support to advocate for this worthy goal. 

CVCTA’s many activities and accomplishments to date are presented below.

• Registered as a federal and state 501c(3) nonprofit organization. (Summer 2006)

• Set up a distinguished and diverse Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors includes local developers, community activist, a Riverside County Parks and Open Space Trails Committee member and former executive director of CVCTA and a board member of the Desert Bike Club.

• Raised $70,000 from the development community to set-up CVCTA.

• Participating in a Regional Trails Feasibility Study for the Coachella Valley, financed by Riverside County Parks and Open Space District and the Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District.

• Working with the Riverside County Department of Health and local cycling and equestrian advocates to develop a Coachella Valley Urban Trails and Bikeways Map.  This will be the first map to show trails and bikeways across jurisdictional boundaries.  Map should be available in July 2008.

• Testified at City Council Meetings in support of trail development and preservation initiatives, including Palm Springs and Indian Wells.

• Launched an informational website: cvcta.org.  (April 2007)

• Participating in the South Valley Implementation Project regional planning process.  CVCTA has taken a leadership role to make sure urban trails receive a high priority in this planning effort.

• Participating in the Panorama/College of the Desert East Campus Development planning process.

• Assisting the City of Coachella Parks & Planning Departments to develop a Trails Plan and an implementation strategy for their Parks Master Plan.

• Working with the City of La Quinta to expand and improve their urban trails network.  A survey of La Quinta residents identified trails as the most desirable recreation amenity. 

• Building a broad alliance of agencies and individuals supportive of the urban trail network vision for the Coachella Valley.  The alliance includes numerous local groups, including the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Desert Alliance for Community Empowerment (DACE), City of Coachella, City of La Quinta, Riverside County Parks & Open Space District, Riverside County Planning Department, numerous area land developers, trails and local equestrian, hiking and cycling organizations.

• Obtained written letters of support from Congresswoman Mary Bono-Mack, Supervisor Roy Wilson, the Coachella Valley Water District, the City of Coachella and the North Shore Community Council.  We are presently working to obtain written support from the Coachella Valley Association of Governments and the Riverside County Parks and Open Space District.
  
  
• Given numerous public presentations to build support, including the Coachella Valley Association of Governments Transportation Committee and the Palm Desert Parks Commission.
  
  
• CVCTA received $5,000 Grant from DACE, (Desert Alliance for Community Empowerment) for the purpose of hiring well know professional grant writer Alice Hamilton.

• CVCTA is currently producing a trails and bikeways feasibility study for the City of Indio.

• CVCTA Executive Director attended the California State Trails and Greenways Conference in Folsom May 10-12, 2007.

• Co-hosted a group hike at the Coachella Preserve on May 19, 2007, to commemorate California Trail Days.  The event was a partnership with the City of Coachella, the National Hispanic Environmental Council, and the California Wild Heritage Campaign.

• Co-hosted a group hike at the La Quinta Cove trail on June 2, 2007, to commemorate National Trails Day.  This event is a partnership with the City of La Quinta and the East Coachella Valley Young Professionals Network.

• Staffed information booths at various public events, including the 2007 Earth Day Jam at the Living Desert and the 2007 Fiesta Campesina in Mecca.

• February 8- 9, 2008 CVCTA participated in the Tour de Palm Springs charity bike ride. CVCTA had a booth for the Friday registration and Saturday ride where we were well received by the public and gained significant support and awareness.

• February 11, 2008 CVCTA attended the CVAG Transportation Executive Committee meeting with a large number of supporters from the local bike clubs, area students, tourists, and equestrian riders. Several of these supporters addressed the committee about the need to address trail/ bike issues in the Coachella Valley. As a result an Ad Hoc Urban Trails Sub-committee was formed to meet and further the discussion on the various public needs and stakeholder interests.

• February 21, 2008 CVCTA added three new board members, John Lujan, Ron Ziestra and Hayward Purdue, and relocated offices to Palm Desert. In addition they have received consulting support from Brooke Russell and Debra Kaye.

• April 16, 2008 CVCTA held their first Board strategic planning workshop, with Anne Dove of National Parks Service, an expert in development of business plans for non-profit trails organizations.

• May 8, 2008 CVAG Ad Hoc Sub-committee for Urban Trails held their first meeting with representatives from CVCTA, Riverside County Department of Public Health, Riverside County Parks and Recreation along with various interested parties from the local cities. The Top Ten wish list, which was data collected from community members was discussed. The Sub-committee decided to advocate through the Transportation Executive committee the updating of the 2001 NMTP (non-motorized trail plan). The Urban Trail and Bikeways Map was revealed for final review.
  

• May 20, 2008 Coachella Valley Recreation and Parks District and Riverside County Open Space Parks District held their first meeting to discuss project goals, feasibility, connectivity, usage, alternative routes, and potential barriers along the Whitewater River, Dillon Road, and Coachella Canal. Another meeting is scheduled for June 3, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at the Portola Community Center Meeting Room #1.

• May 21, 2008 CVCTA held their second Board strategic planning workshop, with Anne Dove of National Parks Service.