Jamestown moves ahead on White Cloud Trail extension to Liechty Park

Jamestown took another step toward linking Liechty Park and McElroy Park when the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously approved an agreement with Interstate Engineering on Monday, July 13, for engineering work on the White Cloud Trail extension. The project would extend the city’s White Cloud Trail system west from the pedestrian bridge at McElroy Park and continue toward Liechty Park, giving residents a continuous off-street route for walking, running, bicycling, wheelchair use and other non-motorized recreation.

Amy Walters, executive director of the Jamestown Parks and Recreation District, said the extension is the first phase of the broader Liechty Park master plan. The district has already been awarded a $250,000 grant through the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department Recreational Trails Program, but that money comes with a 20% local match requirement. With the project’s estimated cost set at $378,000, the district still has to close a funding gap before construction can begin.

The gravel recreational trail is meant to improve durability and consistency within the existing trail network while also improving public safety and access to parks and green spaces. Along the James River river corridor, the project will need to move through a permitting process because federal funds are involved and the route follows a sensitive riverfront area. Interstate Engineering is expected to help the district work through that permitting stage before a final Recreational Trails Program award would let construction proceed.

The Recreational Trails Program received 17 applications totaling $3.48 million in requests this year, while only about $1 million was available to award through the Federal Highway Administration, according to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Gov. Kelly Armstrong has pushed for four-season outdoor recreation access.

The commission also moved ahead with a separate amenity at the Two Rivers Activity Center, voting to advertise a request for proposals for a healthy snack bar operation. Walters said the district had explored the idea before, including in 2018, and two entities have already expressed interest. TRAC has a certified commercial kitchen, and Walters said an operator could ask for vending machines to be removed if that made the business model work better.