Trail project will erect Dupont memorial

Many of us in the Flathead Valley miss our too soon departed friend Jim Dupont. Long-time sheriff and county commissioner, he didn’t like to be publicly recognized for his common-sense service, but now he has no choice.

This is our opportunity to “get even.” The Gateway to Glacier Trail group is dedicating the 7-mile segment of the trail from Coram to West Glacier to Jim’s memory and building a gazebo and small parking area on the trail to house a memorial to this rare Montanan, along with a donor wall for all the folks pitching in to make this trail a reality.

Jim is gone now, and we’ll miss his “I’m up to something” grin, but now we’ll be able to see that grin and remember how he’d approach things every time we park our car, unload our bicycles or just stop along the trail, rest on the benches out of the weather, have a snack or fix a flat.

This trail benefits the whole valley by providing a safe, beautiful corridor for school children, residents and tourists delighted to be able to ride or walk safely off the main highway in one of the most spectacular corners of the world.

Today we have another opportunity to provide something incredible for generations, and that’s building this key segment of a separated bicycle path to Glacier National Park. And the best part is that we’re already 89 percent of the way there.

We need a little bit more to be able to start moving dirt by 2015. How much more? Of the total estimated price tag of $1,020,000, we currently have $905,000.

Amazing, eh? We have received various grants, hosted a dozen fundraising events and have mailed more than 30,000 newsletters in the past three years. So we need $115,000 in this special campaign over the next year. We need to have our funds totally collected prior to construction.

This trail connects to an existing 3.5-mile trail that connects Coram to Hungry Horse. The final Bad Rock Canyon segment will be built by the Montana Department of Transportation. A new bridge and a 3.5 mile separated bike/pedestrian trail will be part of that future project.

The vision is to eventually have a separated bike/pedestrian trail connecting the Flathead Valley to Glacier Park. Who wouldn’t want to say to their friends and family “ I helped build that trail”?

I sure would. We need your help, and you’ll always be proud that you did, too.

Alan Ruby lives in Kalispell.