While trail enthusiasts wait anxiously to see the fences blocking the entrance to Wildcat Creek Trail removed, residents who live directly adjacent to the pathway connecting Gardiner Park to Springhill Court anticipate seeing an increase of criminal and lewd behavior in their backyards.

The city's decision to enter into an agreement with the water district came during a November 2002 meeting, but on April 2 council members directed staff to reopen the trail by as early as June 1, pending final word from the water district.

This is good news to residents like Patricia Allen and Trish Morgan, who said they used the trail often before it was closed off by the water district in August 2002 following two complaints from neighbors citing privacy and safety issues.

Morgan, whose home is on Springhill Court but is not affected by the trail, said she and her husband took frequent walks there with their daughter and two dogs.

"It's a beautiful and peaceful trail," she said. "A lot of the residents enjoyed using it, especially the joggers and pet owners."

Morgan said she doesn't see a good enough reason for the district to close such a popular pathway, despite the claims she's heard from neighbors who said they've been victim to burglaries or have seen others get injured.

"There's no concrete proof to support these claims," she said. "It doesn't make any sense."

Allen said she's also heard of such complaints but agrees that the district should have done further research before closing the trail unexpectedly. She said she would like to see the trail reopened as soon as possible.

According to Allen, the trail provides a quicker and safer route to Gardiner Park. It runs approximately a half-mile in length and varies from 4 to 10 feet in width.

Allen said she feels safer having her 4-year-old daughter ride her bike on the dirt trail than the longer residential route, where there are no sidewalks or lights.

Many residents whose home borders the trail said they did not want to comment on the situation, but Kat George and Gail Kilbourn are two who said they are in complete favor of reopening the trail. Both said they have never experienced any burglaries or received any negative response from people walking behind their backyards.

"The trail users are respectful," said George. "I've never had any problems with the trail."

George said that the trail, which is used by multigenerational families, provides a place where neighbors can socialize.

"There's a sense of camaraderie in our neighborhood," she said. "We need to keep it that way."

Entering the agreement was an alternative solution that task force member Jim Tucker is reluctant to accept. Tucker said that although he lives directly next to the trail and has had beer cans thrown over his fence by young teenagers lurking around the creek at night, he is not against reopening the pathway and would prefer to leave it in the same condition it was in before the district installed the fences. However, he said he does not want the city to be involved because it may change the overall character of the trail in the long run should amenities such as lights and pavements be installed to accommodate neighbors complaining about lack of safety and privacy.

"The trail has a natural beauty to it," said Tucker. "It should stay that way."

In addition, Tucker questioned where the city would get the money to make the improvements and suspected that the onus would be on the residents.

"Why spend money on what some people don't want?" he asked.

Neighbors like Diane Walters, who also lives next to the creek, said they were against the reopening of the trail because it would create more traffic and uninvited noise at the back of their property.

"People should not be walking on our private property," said Walters. "It's unfair that the city is condoning such a violation."

Walters said she's seen many young adults jumping over her fence, especially at night, when they don't think anyone is watching.

Joe Potter, who lives along Aspesi Way, said there's no point in trying to open the trail because people use it regardless. He said his home was burglarized many times in the past due to trespassers entering from his backyard. Since then, he has had alarm systems installed to prevent future break-ins. Though he has not had any burglaries since then, he said he hears teenagers drinking and joking around near his backyard. Potter said he doesn't approach the teenagers or ask them to quiet down because he fears that that they will come back with harmful intentions.

Contrary to what many neighbors who oppose the reopening of the trail believe, Mayor Nick Streit and Vice Mayor Anne Waltonsmith said that increased foot traffic would decrease the likelihood of people engaging in illegal or improper acts.

"There would be more eyes policing the trail," said Streit. "It will also help keep kids off the streets."

Streit said that when the council first agreed to enter into the joint use agreement he had to consider the neighborhood's best interest.

"The trail has been used for over 40 years," he said. "It should continue to be accessible to the public."

The council is waiting to hear from the water district to discuss legal matters. If the city approves the conditions, the district will give the green light to open the gates.

According to Greg Zoltnick, who is a board member for the water district, it is "board policy to generally be in favor of cities requesting joint use agreements for trails."

If the agreement is set, the district will be responsible for maintaining the water quality in the creek while the city would be in charge of handling complaints from neighbors regarding safety on the trail.