Trail steps ahead with $650K in grants

SANDPOINT — An influx of grant funds — totalling more than $650,000 — brings the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail even closer to reality.

The Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail announced Thursday that a grant application to an anonymous Wyoming family foundation, written by Susan Drumheller and Ruth Watkins, had been accepted. Over the next three years, the grants will bring in a total of $653,000 to be split between the nonprofit organization and the cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay, said Jon Sayler, Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail president.

“Right now, I just feel really amazed to live in a place that even outside individuals recognize as special,” Sayler said.

The grant represents a big win for the effort to secure nearly two miles of shoreline for public access, a process started in 2011 when Sandpoint officials negotiated a purchase plan. According to the four-year arrangement, Sandpoint would purchase the first two parcels, Ponderay would purchase the third and the Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail would fundraise the final portion.

All three parties stand to benefit from the recently-acquired grant. Sandpoint has already bought the first two parcels for $400,000 each, and the city will receive $200,000 to mitigate that expense.

Ponderay will receive $75,000 to assist in the third parcel purchase, scheduled to occur by Oct. 15. That sum of money joins another recent $75,000 grant acquired from the Idaho Recreational Trails program. In order to apply for the state grant, the city commissioned an appraisal of the property, the results of which justified the $400,000 asking price. According to Sayler, the city will likely still be receiving financial assistance from the Friends for the purchase, which it will pay back the following year.

Meanwhile, the Friends will receive $60,000 to aid the fourth parcel purchase next year. In addition to the grant, a recent 5K run generated about $12,000 for the cause. That brings the total raised amount to almost $370,000.

“We’re getting close to our goal (of $400,000), but we’re not quite there yet,” Sayler said.

The rest of the grant will contribute toward maintenance, improvements and incidental expenses: $150,000 goes toward safety improvements and maintenance, $30,000 helps pay legal fees, and another $140,000 will help Ponderay develop safe access points to the trail, according to Sayler.

While trail supporters are celebrating the grant as a major boost, Sayler isn’t ready to rest on his laurels. He said the nonprofit still has several thousand dollars to raise before next year, and supporters need to keep their eyes on the prize. The next fundraising event will take place July 6 at Ponderay Garden Center’s Concert for a Cause featuring Nu Jack City.  

“We may have tapped out our big sources, and the rest of the money will probably have to come from us,” Sayler added.