Letter of the day: Minneapolis bike trail plans inappropriate in an recession

I applaud efforts by the city of Minneapolis to maintain and beautify green areas. However, I am alarmed to hear of the West River Parkway renovations that the city plans on starting in June. As a citizen of south Minneapolis, I am very disappointed with the idea to widen and pave the bike/pedestrian paths, removing trees and green space in the process. With Gov. Tim Pawlenty cutting $13.1 million from Local Government Aid (LGA) to Minneapolis this year alone, how can the Minneapolis Park Board justify an unwarranted repair? Building an extra path in this time of economic turmoil seems to be a frivolous expenditure for a city that doesn't even provide enough shelter for increasing numbers of homeless individuals affected by the economic downturn. A much cheaper solution would be to repave the paths with asphalt, or to use the environmentally friendly and abundantly free crushed limestone or wood chips. Using a natural surface for the paths would decrease erosion in those fragile areas and provide a relatively maintenance-free and healthy surface for all to enjoy. TOM CAUGHLAN, MINNEAPOLIS