Members of the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle coalition eagerly waited to be the first bicyclists on the newly opened Bouquet Canyon Trail at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Central Park on Monday morning.
Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth welcomed members of the community to the Bouquet Canyon Trail ribbon-cutting ceremony as well as City Council colleagues Councilman Jason Gibbs, Councilwoman Marsha McLean and Councilwoman Laurene Weste. Also in attendance was L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s field representative, Isabell Yaralian.
Smyth said that Santa Clarita now has an extensive trail network of over 100 miles with this new additional trailhead being opened.
Yaralian said that throughout the 88 cities in L.A. County, Santa Clarita stood out as one of the top few. She said that the extensive trails in the SCV attract many people and make the city unique.
“Council members and I were talking to some members of the (SCV Bicycle) coalition about how they travel all over the country and come back saying that the trail system here in Santa Clarita is the best that they’ve seen across the country. And that is something that we really take pride in,” said Smyth.
The Bouquet Canyon Trail is 0.7 miles long and is a shared-use bike and pedestrian pathway that runs along the Bouquet Creek Channel. Smyth said the trail offers convenient access points at Espuella Drive and near the entrance to Central Park.
“The trail provides low-stress, active transportation options, making it easy and safe for pedestrians and cyclists alike to reach Central Park,” said Smyth.
The trail also supports the city’s non-motorized transportation plan and aligns with the 2025 strategic plan to prioritize enhanced safety and convenience to both pedestrians and bicyclists.
Smyth added that the city believes the trail will be widely used not just by the active community but also for residents attending Concerts in the Park or other events hosted at Central Park.
“To have this additional access, I can imagine people parking off-site for Concerts in the Park and being able to walk on the trail to come to the events,” said Smyth.