Attention MN River Trail Natural Trail Supporters!! How about a BIG bike ride to oppose paving the MN River Valley Trail? When: Wednesday, July 18th between 5:30 and 6pm, ride leaves at 6:15pm sharp. Where: We will meet at the Penn Cycle Bloomington location and ride to the Bloomington City Hall. There is plenty of parking in the shopping center parking lot by Penn Cycle. There is some bike parking at City Hall, but remember to bring a lock. Return: We will ride as a group back to Penn Cycle after submitting our comments, about 7:30pm. After: You are welcome to join us at Willy McCoy’s across Old Shakopee Road from Penn Cycle where they have plenty of refreshments for all. What: The DNR is hosting the final open house on the proposed plans to pave a section of the MN River Trail using $1.7M in bonding money. Instead of putting the money towards more useful things like a bridge over Nine Mile Creek, they plan to build a paved trail from the Cedar Bridge to the Lyndale Avenue parking lot. Why the urgency? Well, they need to commit the $1.7M by the end of the year or it will return to the general fund. Also the DNR typically develops state trails “one piece at a time” and then goes back to the Legislature for even more money. So they want to make a start on this section so they can try and keep the project going and waste even more taxpayer dollars in the future. Who: You!! This is your opportunity to show the DNR, City of Bloomington, your elected officials, and the public that a paved trail in the MN River Valley flood plain is a bad plan and bad policy!! What if I don’t want to ride? Just meet us at the Bloomington City Hall, the meeting is in the Council Chambers. We need all the people we can to come and show support for keeping the natural trail as it is and not developing a paved trail. What I want to ride the river trail to Lyndale to get there? Sorry. It’s under water. Again. Probably for a month or so longer. Please join us!! Save the River Bottoms