New trail will link 8 parks

Work is under way on a new bike and pedestrian trail that will link Huetter Road to downtown Coeur d’Alene.

The Prairie Trail is being paved along an abandoned Union Pacific rail line owned by the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation. It is expected to be complete by July 1.

The five-mile, 16-foot-wide trail will connect to the Centennial Trail, link eight Coeur d’Alene parks and three Coeur d’Alene schools and provide a continuous path from Huetter Road, across the Rathdrum Prairie and down to Riverstone.

“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to connect all those neighborhoods together and to downtown,” said North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation Director Charlie Miller.

Along the way the Prairie Trail connects the Kroc Center, Bluegrass Park, Ramsey Park, Lake City High School, Woodland Middle School and Skyway Elementary.

“It’s a great piece of trail to get for the city,” said Coeur d’Alene Parks Trail Coordinator Monte McCully.

Funding to pave the trail was raised by selling $400,000 in right-of-way for underground sewer lines to neighboring developments, Miller said.

The city and North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation will celebrate the trail and three city parks on July 12 with a moving party starting at Bluegrass Park at 9 a.m., moving along to Ramsey Park at noon and then to Riverstone Park at 3 p.m.

McCully said the free event will feature music, food and a variety of activities. Participants can use the new trail to bike or walk between the different parks.

“A lot of people don’t know about all our parks,” he said. “This will give them a chance to see three of our parks.”