Prospect Heights
by Janus Reyes
Triathlete
What is your favorite park/trail and why?
My favorite park is Prospect Heights. I like it because there aren't a lot of people there; even if the parking lot is full you can still go out there and see no one. I also like that it's one of the less known parks and it has a lot of side trails and wildlife.
Do you have a favorite Propsect Heights memory?
One morning I was running with some friends of mine, and our dogs, and we ran next to a creek. We only had three dogs and all of a sudden we had four, but it wasn't a dog, it was a black bear. The bear ran in front of us and our dogs ran behind him, they weren't chasing him; they were just running with him like he was their playmate or something. We ended up getting our dogs back and heading off in the opposite direction.
How have you used the park?
I run, I mountain bike, I ski, I hike, I snowshoe.
How long have you used the park and how has your use of the park evolved?
I started using the park about ten years ago and I started skiing there. From there I just kept doing more and more activities in the park.
What are your hopes for the future of the park?
I hope they have more single tracks, because when trails get bigger more people come and it changes the personality of the park.
How do you see the roles of parks in your community?
Required. I think parks provide a fulfi llment, not only recreationally, but also for study with plants and animals. I think parks are also a way of stress release, a place you can calm down.
Interviewed by Josh Berry