QUESTION: When my wife and I are walking the Guthrie Creek Trail, we often see electric bicycles. Some riders are traveling at a high rate of speed. Are these bikes considered a motorized vehicle and therefore not allowed on the trail?
ANSWER: Thanks for asking this question. I性视界传媒檝e wondered about this myself.
And thanks to John Albertson, our city性视界传媒檚 parks and recreation director, I learned something new: State law prohibits the city from barring electric bicycles from using city trails.
Here性视界传媒檚 the specific section of the Texas Transportation Code: Sec. 551.106:
性视界传媒淸A] local authority may not prohibit the operation of an electric bicycle:
性视界传媒(1) on a highway that is used primarily by motor vehicles; or
性视界传媒(2) in an area in which the operation of a nonelectric bicycle is permitted, unless the area is a path that:
性视界传媒(A) is not open to motor vehicles; and
性视界传媒(B) has a natural surface tread made by clearing and grading the native soil without adding surfacing materials.
性视界传媒(b) The department or a local authority may:
性视界传媒(1) prohibit the operation of a bicycle on a sidewalk; and
性视界传媒(2) establish speed limits for bicycles on paths set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles and other paths on which bicycles may be operated.性视界传媒
ANSWER LINE NOTE: All the talk about pools has made me curious about the history of other pools in Longview, so I性视界传媒檒l probably drop some tidbits here as I性视界传媒檓 able to find information.
Today, I性视界传媒檒l talk some about what was known as the Louis Armstrong Pool from 1985 until its closure in 2006 because it needed extensive work. The Louis Armstrong Spray Playground was later built where the pool was located at what is today性视界传媒檚 Broughton Park.
In a 1951 Longview newspaper article I found, the pool was described as the 性视界传媒渘egro pool性视界传媒 that was being built in 性视界传媒渘egro park.性视界传媒 It was completed and opened in 1952. This reminder that our Black neighbors weren性视界传媒檛 allowed to swim with white people and had to have their own pool just really hurt my heart.
It was also startling and sad to find a 1952 newspaper article describing the death of a 10-year-old child, Odis C.J. Anthony, who drowned in the pool before it had officially opened. He and a group of friends had snuck into the pool and ran when police showed up. The other boys told his mother that he dove into the pool and didn性视界传媒檛 come back up.
While the city性视界传媒檚 website spells Armstrong性视界传媒檚 first name Louis, the newspaper articles I found spelled his name Lewis Armstrong. He was the longtime manager of the pool, which was also sometimes called the 性视界传媒16th Street Pool.性视界传媒
Also, I性视界传媒檒l note that swim lessons were offered at the pool early in its history. (See newspaper articles attached to the online version of this column.)
