photo by: Contributed

Community groups working to develop a new park north of Interstate 70 in Lawrence will host an open house about the progress in developing Cameron's Bluff Park. The event will be at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St., Wednesday night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Organizers working to create a new park north of Interstate 70 in Lawrence that would add multiple trails along the Kansas River are inviting community input during an open house detailing the project’s progress.

The proposed park, called Cameron’s Bluff Park, would add walking trails and a mountain biking trail on a site owned by the energy company Evergy that hugs the Kansas River north of I-70 close to the BNSF railroad. The name of the park is inspired by Hugh Cameron, an abolitionist who moved to Lawrence in the 1850s, served in the Union army in the Civil War and was known as a local eccentric who grew his hair and beard long and lived in multiple treehouses around the city, including one near the proposed park.

Chris Tilden, the chair of Friends of Lawrence Area Trails, told the Journal-World via an email that his organization will provide residents with a short presentation about the progress of the development. The event, which will be held on Wednesday night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St., will have representatives from the groups working on the project available after the presentation to answer questions and take comments from the attendees.

As the Journal-World reported, local community members, including members of the Friends of Lawrence Area Trails and Sarah Hill-Nelson, the current owner and operator of Bowersock Mills & Power Co.’s hydroelectric plant, worked to secure a grant to conduct a viability study for the site. The study, conducted by the International Mountain Biking Association, deemed the space worthy of development and drafted some concepts for what the space could look like.

“We’re eager to hear from the community as we shape this new trail system,” the organizers said in a press release. “Your input will help ensure that Cameron’s Bluff Trails reflects the needs and values of our residents and trail users.”

Organizers first presented the idea to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board back in April, as the Journal-World reported. The proposed park would potentially add six to seven miles of walking trails — along with the possibility for mountain biking trails.

photo by: Contributed, Friends of Lawrence Area Trails

A map highlighting some of the walking trails in Lawrence created by Friends of Lawrence Area Trails. The group is one of many community organizations working on developing a new park called Cameron’s Bluff, which is depicted in this map in red.

Although the proposed park’s location is pretty cut off from Lawrence because of I-70 and few trails or roads into the area, the organizers have discovered a recreation easement along the river from Burcham Park to the proposed site of Cameron’s Bluff that could connect the space to Lawrence’s trail system. Additionally, through other right-of-way agreements with the Kansas Turnpike Authority, it could serve as another option to connect the Lawrence Loop.

In April, the organizers shared estimates from the IMBA report that developing the trails could cost from between $118,000 to $317,000. Tilden shared in an email that all funds necessary for the development and maintenance of Cameron’s Bluff have been committed through private sources, and that Evergy committed volunteer labor and equipment from their Green Team to build the trails.

Tilden also shared that designing the trails is expected to cost between $18,000 and $20,000, and his organization has “committed to raising (those) funds.”

The open house is open to the public and does not require prior registration. For further information, Tilden said people can contact him through his email, info@flatks.org.

photo by: Bremen Keasey

The view of the Kansas River from the Riverfront Park in North Lawrence, with Interstate 70 in the background. A proposal from a community group aims to create a park with trail system along the river called Cameron’s Bluff Park.