The Ribbon Trail, which connects Hendricks Park to the Ridgeline Trail system, has been used only sporadically for decades. Now it’s getting redesigned and rebuilt to be more functional [see map below], thanks to funding received through the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC).
The trail’s roots can be traced to the mid-1980’s when a volunteer group built the first developed trail along a beaten path that had been used for many years. The route included stairways and switchbacks, and ran through privately owned lands (with owner approvals).
Over time, the route became unsafe and unusable. In 2000, the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space (POS) division purchased enough land to create a public corridor, creating the proper space for a hearty trail connection to Hendricks Park from the south.
In 2004-05, the POS division consulted with a professional trail engineer and worked out a new design that would be safer and more practical. However, there wasn’t enough funding at the time to construct the trail.
With the recent funding from the OYCC, which is based on an employment initiative designed to provide opportunities for youth between the ages of 18 and 24 in the fields of natural resources and conservation, the project will now commence. The OYCC grant opportunity was made available through the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Note: Trail construction work will not require removal of large trees and patches of uncommon plants – identified through a plant survey – will be avoided.
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