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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2020)
6 Wednesday, August 5, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon TRAILHEAD: New location will have less impact on neighbors Continued from page 1 a citizen letter-writing cam- paign in support of the new trailhead. Approval for the project was received in 2012 from the Forest Service, but it took four years to obtain the project funding. After two unsuccess- ful attempts to obtain fund- ing for the approved proj- ect, STA9s Guttormsen and Patrick Eckford worked on the 16-page grant appropria- tion request, adding actual trail data to the request. The third time was the charm when Oregon Parks and Recreation Department9s Recreational Trails Program granted $152,000 to be matched by $38,661.40 from other sources for a total proj- ect cost of $190,661.40. That OPRD money comes from Federal gas tax funds. Jodi Bellefeuille with OPRD told the people assembled for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new trailhead last Thursday that the money was granted in part due to all the work done by so many people. Not only did the proposal have to be written, but the trail data had to be collected and a formal presentation had to be made in front of an OPRD advi- sory committee. Jerold Wesley, a 15-year civil engineer with the Deschutes National Forest, served as the project engi- neer on the new trailhead. He used the dimensions of a Sprinter van to design the parking spaces. Besides 25 designated off-road gravel parking spaces and the installation of a CXT prefab- ricated toilet, the trailhead will also have an informa- tional kiosk built by the STA, bike racks, space for user staging, and room for future expansion. Sisters District Ranger, Ian Reid, who emceed the ribbon cutting, is himself a fan of the PRT, having dis- covered it three years ago upon his arrival in Sisters. He pointed out that trails in Sisters meet strategies of all four pillars of the Sisters Vision project. Reid expressed F orm erly Big Formerly Form Bigfoot gfoot Wellness Wellnes Wel lness lnes s s STAY COOL & CARRY ON! CHECK OUT RESOURCES HERE www.blackbutte chiropractic.com 541-389-9183 392 E. Main Ave., Sisters appreciation for the collab- orative effort surrounding the trailhead. <The Deschutes National Forest can9t overstate our appreciation for our com- munity partners, such as the City of Sisters and Sisters Trails Alliance, who have provided volunteer time and financial support,= she said. <Having a shared vision for a sustainable trails net- work and leveraging our individual strengths is part of the 8Central Oregon way9 of cooperation and collective problem solv- ing. We would also like to thank the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the Recreational Trails Program, which have sub- stantially funded this project.= The City of Sisters pro- vided letters of support and funding through the City Grant Program. The Sisters Trails Alliance has provided thousands of volunteer hours in planning, labor, and grant writing, as well as money. OPRD provided the grant that will cover 80 percent of the costs. The new Deschutes Trail Coalition has offered their support with a small grant. McKenzie Cascade Heavy Equipment did the actual excavation of the new parking lot. Sara Baughman is the new Recreation Team Lead for the Sisters Ranger District, replacing Amy Radke who was on staff for the majority of the project. Sisters Mayor Chuck Ryan was on hand, com- menting he is biased because he is a trail runner. He told those assembled, <What we have here in Sisters is an out- door gem& Businesses are appreciative of the trail sys- tem and the people it brings to town.= STA president Catherine Hayden praised the abil- ity of government, non- profits, and the community to come together in col- laboration to build the new trailhead <Here9s to the PRT and its new welcome mat,= she said. The old trailhead on Tyee will be decommissioned by the City, with all signage removed. It will remain a neighborhood access point to the trail. STA is not resting on its laurels. Their next two proj- ects will include a Whychus Creek foot bridge on the old Brooks-Scanlon road to take trail traffic away from a wildlife area and a new foot trail to the Peak View overlook. The new PRT is open, just 850 feet south of the old trailhead. Summ er Cleaning! FREE ESTIMATES! • Window & gutter cleaning, power washing • Residential & commercial screen cleaning/repair & glass restoration • Housekeeping & deep cleaning • Monthly, bi-monthly, move in/out Continued from page 3 Mountain Bike Trail. He has an old oak trail sign that has that name on it. Rahm conceived of a new trail system that created the current ladder system with many connectors between the west and east legs of the system. Equestrians were at first opposed to Rahm9s plan because they feared they would lose the area for riding to the new trail system. The compromise they worked out created a PRT horse trail system. The compromise was a win-win, said Guttormsen, and <was the reason that STA emerged as an organization that builds and maintains many miles of horse trails besides the ones for hikers and cyclists.= When STA had the oppor- tunity to have an NEPA anal- ysis (environmental impact study) done on new trail projects in 2011, STA asked the Forest Service to analyze a new location further along Elm Street (Three Creeks Lake Road), where a proper trailhead could be built. The COME VISIT OUR SHOWROOM Variety • Quality • Price Range Buy local from Sweeney Plumbing and save the trip to Bend! Masks required, please! 541-549-4349 541-610-5760 • Cesar Lumber • Hardware • Paint Fencing & Decking • Doors & Windows FREE Local Delivery! Hours: M-F 8 to 5, Sat. 8 to 4, Closed Sundays 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net FS approved the spot where the new trailhead sits. It took seven years to obtain a Recreational Trails grant to get the facility built. STA is responsible for build- ing the facilities kiosk and signage to the connector trail that takes people out to west and east legs of the PRT. Besides providing a vari- ety of over 15 loop options through beautiful ponderosa pine forests and open sage- brush country, and areas of challenging rock, breathtak- ing mountain views are seen from the Whychus Overlook and Peak View. The trail is well-marked and, with the available trail map, riders and hikers are able to design their own rid- ing and hiking experience. The Sisters Stampede mountain bike race, held every spring (except this year due to COVID-19), draws riders from near and far. Great ideas... Mendoza’s Cleaning Services LLC r e m m u s r u o y l l a For t h g i r s d e e n t c e j o r p here in Sisters! ..STA emerged as an organization that builds and maintains many miles of horse trails besides the ones for hikers and cyclists. — Gary Guttormsen, HISTORY: Trail started as cyclists9 grassroots effort 260 N. Pine St., Sisters Licensed Bonded / Insured CCB#87587 For updates on activities visit SistersRecreation.com 541-549-2091 • 1750 W. McKinney Butte Rd. SNO CAP MINI STORAGE Sisters Industrial Park 157 Sisters Park Dr. • 541-549-3575 www.SistersStorage.com • State-of-the-art Security Technology • Sizes from 5x5 to 12x40 • Individual Gate Codes • Long-term Discounts • On-site Manager