The family that donated land for a nature preserve in Mason City is upset by plans to build a BMX bike park on the site.
In 2002, Marjorie Evans granted a parcel of 26.2 acres of undeveloped land to the Mason City to be managed by the Parks and Recreation Board. The agreement calls for the land to be used as a nature preserve and wildlife habitat within the city limits to be enjoyed by members of the public in perpetuity.
Marjorie's daughter, Elizabeth Evans, was initially pleased when her mother donated the land in memory of Marjorie and her husband John's family. But recently, neighbors of the preserve called her to let her know that heavy machinery was working at the location.
"It was a sad, weird, shocking thing for our family," Evans said in a phone interview. Evans is a birder in her own right, and the thought of heavy equipment tearing into the land her mother donated gave her pause.
What the city did with the preserve is bring in Rock Solid Trail Contracting to build mountain biking jumps and trails, blending the property into the network of trails and bike parks funded by Destination Iowa grant money.
According to Evans, that was the first indication to the family that the city had plans for the parcel that included development. In 2010, the city reached out to Evans and her family, asking them if they approved of bike trails in the preserve. Evans said she and her family stood firm that the area was to be left as a wildlife habitat and nature preserve.