Plans progress for pedal track in Pioneer Park
The sign at the entrance of Libby's Pioneer Park reads, "Foot traffic only," but that may about to change with plans for a pedal park inside its boundary. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Pioneer Park in Libby is generally a place where people walk their dogs and white-tailed deer feed or bed, but a local trails advocate says he wants to make it a more lively locale for kids.
Libby Outdoor Recreation Association’s Tony Petrusha gained the blessing of the Lincoln County Commissioners at the Jan. 9 meeting to begin work on a pedal track inside the borders of county-owned Pioneer Park.
Petrusha said the dirt path would take up about one-quarter of the park and be located inside the existing trail. It would be designed for kids between the ages of 5 and 12.
“I look forward to infusing some life into the park,” Petrusha said.
Petrusha had already secured the approval of the Libby Park District.
Commissioner Brent Teske described the park as, “basically an unused gem.” He did add that some neighbors were concerned about the hours of operation.
Petrusha said there are volunteers to do maintenance once the path is built. He also shared a proposal with The Western News about some of the possibilities for the pedal track.
With the commissioner’s blessing, LORA can now move ahead in working with an engineer and funds granting organization.
The track will run mostly north and south, approximately 100 feet wide by 150 feet long, it will be flat following the existing terrain including a few turns with small raises.
When a preliminary design is available, a more detailed review will be offered to the Libby Park District Board of Directors for comment and approval.
Petrusha addressed the question of Pioneer Park being a suitable location based upon the stipulations in the original Pioneer Society letter of transmittal to Lincoln County.
Petrusha said Lincoln County Attorney Marcia Boris has reviewed the transmittal letter and found the pedal track falls within the stipulations of the transmittal letter.
The design of the facility will be performed by ‘Collaborative Trails’ of Sandpoint, Idaho. They will also complete the construction along with manual labor help from local volunteers.
The track layout will be south of the existing Balsam Street trail and toward the east side of the park near Main Street. The existing car park inside the park will be used, it will be squared up and graveled to accommodate five vehicles along with bike racks and signage with rider responsibilities and user guidelines, Petrusha explained in the proposal.
Also, drainage around the track, both inside the track and outside will be controlled with french drains and surface runoff into the existing channels.
Operations and maintenance will be performed by local volunteers and coordinated by the LORA group. Liability insurance may be through the Libby Park District with Lincoln County as additional insured (to be confirmed).
Funding for the design and construction will sought through the Libby chapter of the LOR Foundation.
Petrusha said discussions with them have been favorable.