MY 15 YEARS WITH THE VIRGINIA CAPITAL TRAIL:
THE future YEARS (2019 & Beyond)
PART THREE OF A THREE PART SERIES
DECEMBER 17, 2019
Memoir Part II ended in the Fall of 2018…
Earlier this year, Cat Anthony invited me to a VCTF Board meeting to talk about the Capital Trail Ambassadors. I spoke about how we did research on similar groups and modeled the VCT group after The Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) organization. The key learning from this research was: don’t make the group highly structured like club rides where there is a sign in, ride leader, and rigid schedule, instead just ask Ambassadors to “ride when they want and where they want.” I believe this concept has contributed significantly to our Ambassadors’ growth and success.
It was also at this meeting that Cat Anthony paid me the greatest, and very unexpected, compliment: she commented to the Board that I was one of two volunteers (Dean Dunbar being the other) she considered “staff members.”
A few final recollections that don’t fit into the rough timeline used as a framework for this memoir, but stand out from the first spade of dirt turned in 2005 to the world-class asset for our area that the Trail has become:
Working with Beth Weisbrod, Executive Director before Cat Anthony. Few will ever understand how her leadership wove through a myriad of difficult situations to bring the Trail to life.
Working with and observing VDOT and their strong ownership and responsiveness to Trail needs. These are dedicated folks who deserve our “Thanks” for their role in making the Trail what it is.
Working with Cat, Claire, and Cyndee, the current VCTF staff. They are a truly effective team, navigating their complex world while focused on making the user experience the best possible.
And a few other folks who come to mind:
Dean Dunbar (often supported by Don Grosse and Neal Robinson) who has “owned” the Trail infrastructure. Lead coordinator with VDOT for repairs, maintenance and litter control for many years. Installer and maintainer of benches and bike repair stations along the Trail.
Angela Bright, a State of Virginia employee, who has spent five years of her “community service” days doing a litter clean up on the Richmond half of the Trail.
Our Trail Ambassadors, (now 80 strong) who make the user experience a better one in so many ways.
Looking forward, here are my hopes for the next five years of the Trail and the Foundation.
Grow as a small business magnet to provide services to Trail users. There are several new businesses because of the Trail now, but there is room for more.
Grow further as a “destination” for cyclists and other Trail users across the US and internationally.
Continue to develop strong connections with the communities the Trail touches through outreach and engaging the community leaders and citizens.
And finally, although it will take longer than five years, I envision the VCT being interconnected with other trails to create a Virginia wide system of trails completely separate from road vehicles use.
Thank you,
Ted Hanson
Virginia Capital Trail Ambassador
East-End Coordinator
