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30-year-old vision leads city, SCLT to develop trails systems

By Carrie Haderlie
The Sheridan Press

 

SHERIDAN — Twenty-seven years ago, a group of Sheridan citizens had a vision. They organized, calling themselves TRAC, or the Transportation Alternatives Coalition.

“They wanted to promote the idea of non-motorized transportation being critical to the quality of life in the area,” said Steve Gage, Parks Department superintendent for the city of Sheridan. “It is the universal recreation, walking. You can take your family out, walk and have a conversation. If you can’t do organized sports or if you have physical limitations, for the most part, you can walk. It is this one constant that people can continue to do.”

The Sheridan Pathways Project started in 1992, and today, the city boasts 16 miles of pathways that connect town from the north end to the south end.

Similarly, the Sheridan Community Land Trust was established in 2006 in response to a need identified by Sheridan County residents.

“That need was more new opportunities for people to get outdoors close to home,” said Chris Vrba, director of marketing and development with the SCLT. “While SCLT has worked hard to fulfill that need, Sheridan County residents’ appetite for more of those opportunities has yet to be satiated.”

The city recently completed a Sheridan Park and Recreation District survey in which 65% of households said their top outdoor recreation priority was walking and bike trails.

Vrba noted that that figure is not only 20% greater than the national average, but more than 20% greater than what people said was their second highest priority — parks. The third highest priority, he said, is open space trails.

“Sheridan County residents made it clear that they want more new opportunities to get outdoors and hike, bike, walk, run and ride close to home, without feeling like they’re close to home,” Vrba said.

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The Sheridan Press has served Sheridan County, Wyoming, since 1887. The award-winning independent newspaper offers print and online news delivery platforms to the thriving community, which boasts a college; a lively arts, culture, and music scene; a bustling downtown; and many other amenities, including unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. To subscribe to The Sheridan Press, click here.