Trailhead plans discussed at design meeting

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Hurley — A crowd of around 50 people gathered at the Iron County Memorial Building for a discussion of plans for trailheads in Hurley and Montreal.

The Hurley trailhead is planned to be located between the Montreal River and Second Avenue/U.S. 51, roughly parallel with Silver Street. It is designed to serve both non-motorized and motorized trail users at where the Iron County trail system connects to Michigan’s trails.

The other trailhead would also be located along the Montreal River, allowing trail users to take a break in Montreal, Wis.

The planning event began with a brief history of the non-motorized trail effort in the region, which the University of Wisconsin Extension’s Will Andresen said began a decade ago.

The plan is to construct a non-motorized trail between Montreal and Sunday Lake in Wakefield, where it will connect with a statewide trail to serve as the westernmost portion of the Iron Belle Trail between Ironwood and Belle Isle in Detroit.

Andresen said the trail effort got shot of energy recently when motorized trail supporters proposed the idea of joining forces to develop trails in the county.

“A big step happened on the Iron County side when a group of motorized people came to my office and said, ‘Hey, let’s work together,’” Andresen said. “And that’s really why we’re here today, because we decided, ‘Yeah, we are going to work together.’ We’re going to work together as motorized and non-motorized (trail builders) and have synergies where we can.”

The effort recently received a $50,000 coastal management grant from the state of Wisconsin to fund research into the ownership of the railroad grade planned to be used as the trail route, as well as design work on the two trailheads.

Part of this trailhead design process was Tuesday’s day-long planning effort involving the UW-Extension Community Vitality and Placemaking Team, which culminated in the public session in the evening.

The team featured seven people from throughout the state, specializing in designing community spaces and projects such as the trailheads. The team spent the morning visiting various sites connected to the trail development effort, then the afternoon talking to stakeholders about their vision before partnering with UW-Extension Youth Development Agent Neil Klemme and a team of Hurley students he formed to develop the designs of the trailheads. These trailhead designs, which included features ranging from parking and pavilions for shelter to playgrounds and basketball courts, were then introduced during the evening session and participants had the opportunity to offer feedback on the designs.

Will Cronin, a community development educator from Crawford County, told the Daily Globe after the meeting that the UW-Extension’s team provides Iron County with a level of expertise in design and planning that would normally cost a considerable amount, and also introduces fresh eyes to the project.

He praised the area’s potential as a trail system.

“I think (the potential) is phenomenal, I really do. I was so impressed with the trail in Hurley where it crosses into Michigan, the new bridge there,” Cronin said. “There’s so much great stuff to build on that is already here, it’s just an absolutely gorgeous part of the world.”

He said that increasingly there is an economic focus to developing areas people want to live in, rather than then were jobs are, as technology makes telecommuting and working remotely easier. Projects like trail development are very attractive to these efforts.

Amy Nosal, who has taken over spearheading the local trail effort from Andresen, was pleased with the day.

“I’m really excited about tonight, I thought it went well. This team, I heard they were amazing, but I never got to see them in action before — and they are. And then the team that Neil brought, those kids, extra amazing. That was very cool, they were at it all day,” Nosal said. “I was glad to see tonight, we’ve got all sorts of players here — the (motorized trail users) join us, because it us together — that made me happy.”

Moving forward, the trail advocates will continue to plan the trail system, while applying for additional grants to help fund the project.