Hikers, bicyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts are one step closer to enjoying a new long-anticipated linkage between major parks and wildlands surrounding Irvine, after The Irvine Company unveiled a sneak preview of a major segment of the long-planned Jeffrey Open Space Trail Saturday.

Created in conjunction with long-planned development, the Jeffrey Open Space Trail will travel approximately five miles, from just past Portola Parkway in the north to the Quail Hill open space just south of the San Diego (405) Freeway. Paralleling Jeffrey Road through the heart of Irvine, the trail will be up to 350 feet in width at some points and will connect to the vast open spaces near North Irvine, including Lomas Ridge and Limestone, Round, Baker and Santiago Canyons. The Jeffrey Open Space Trail will ultimately provide connections to Gateway Park, Irvine’s planned Great Park, the existing Venta Spur Trail and Hicks Canyon Trail and Crystal Cove State Park.

Landscaped with trees and natural grasses, segments of the trial will include a large, oval open space dubbed the “Great Lawn” - an ideal place for picnics, informal gatherings and passive recreation, such as flying kites; a series of meadows, most notably the large “Crescent Meadow” north of Bryan Avenue; and the Hicks Canyon Wash, which will be preserved and enhanced as a main feature of the Jeffrey Open Space Trail.

The Jeffrey Open Space Trail is the product of extensive community input and consensus and a key feature of the city of Irvine’s historic Open Space Agreement that was overwhelmingly approved by residents in 1988. The agreement made possible the preservation of large areas of land throughout Irvine as phased, master-planned growth occurs in other areas of the city. In Irvine, more than 12,000 acres of land have been identified and ultimately will be forever preserved—more than one-third of the entire city.

“The Jeffrey Open Space Trail was a key component of the Open Space Agreement, and we are pleased that it is coming together as it was envisioned in 1988,” said Mike LeBlanc, senior vice president for The Irvine Company. “This trail is a milestone of the terrific collaborative planning between the city, its residents and The Irvine Company.”

“This unique open space amenity further distinguishes Irvine, which enjoys more parks, trails and preserved open spaces than any other city in Orange County,” City Manager Allison Hart said. “Outdoor enthusiasts have long anticipated this link between parks and wildlands in the northern and southern portions of the city’s Open Space Preserve, and now will be able to traverse trail connections found only in Irvine.”

Created in phases, the Jeffrey Open Space Trail is expected to be built over the next 10 to 15 years. The conveyance of the first segment, between Trabuco Road and Irvine Boulevard, is scheduled to occur in 2005.

A Web site has been created for residents to learn about activities taking place in North Irvine, including those related to the Jeffrey Open Space Trail. The Web site is www.northirvineupdate.com and will be updated regularly.