Cool revived thread. I recently moved back to the Toledo area after living away for 10 years. I started Mountain biking while I was gone. There are two parks right next to each other (Ottawa & Jermain Parks) that are right in the middle of town, but they cover a big area and include a golf course too. Volunteers built a MTB trail that meanders across the wooded areas of the two parks 10 years ago. It is actually pretty amazing how you can be in the middle of a city across the street from a major medical center and forget you are in town at all. There are old trees and wildlife including whitetail deer. It is kind of a hidden gem. The city has expressed interest in supporting improvements there too. I’ve heard of people having problems with some kids from adjacent neighborhoods but every time I’ve been there there has been no problems (or people for that matter). So it will be interesting to see how it develops in the next few years.
Having trails close to the population centers makes a lot of sense. I’d rather have a lesser trail I can ride 2-3 times per week than a better trail I can only manage to visit once every 3 or 4 weeks bec. Trying to find time to drive an hour or two each way is tough for me and probably most other people. Proximity removes a barrier to entry.