Category Overview
Trails grants help communities and recreation areas fund the creation and improvement of trails for walking, hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. These grants help make communities more livable, create regional trails systems, and open up beautiful outdoor spaces for people to enjoy. WWRP is the largest source of trail support in the state of Washington.
Project Highlights
The Sunset Pond Trail to Barkley will close the gap in connecting three different neighborhoods to a regional trail and park destination site. This project is located in an underserved area knows as a park and trail “desert” due to the lack of access to trails. This project is a vital connector to a neighborhood in need of access to the outdoors and nature. The undeveloped land and wild topography result in a severed connection to the wonderful amenity of Sunset Pond and the Squalicum Creek Regional trail, which are located just steps from dense, multifamily housing. The city has been stitching together land acquisitions in this area for decades, all of which are presently complete and intact. Now is the time to provide the connections to this scenic parkland and water access site that is just a short walk to public transit and multifamily housing. This trail will also connect users to the east-west segment of the 2014 RCO grant funded segment of the Squalicum Creek Trail, which heads west to future connections to Bellingham Bay. This trail development project will quickly become a destination hub for these neighborhoods and beyond. This project will also result in a loop trail around Sunset Pond Park, which will provide a safe, accessible outdoor experience for park users of all ages and abilities.