OUTLOOK - A trio of local residents appeared at the latest meeting of Outlook's town council to speak on behalf of the SkyTrail walking bridge and the issues facing the once-popular structure.
On Wednesday night, August 21, the three delegates appeared before Council; Con Hammer, Sandra Anderson, and Susan Robertson, who spoke on the SkyTrail walking bridge from the viewpoint of their newly-created group, the SkyTrail Trailblazer Committee. The group spoke to Council about their proposal for operating the bridge, which has been closed to the public since late 2013.
The group's proposal was a simple one - seeing the SkyTrail reopen for use 24 hours a day at no charge to would-be users. However, Hammer did mention that a donation box would be situated at the trail entrance, should anyone wish to contribute to the maintenance of the bridge.
"SkyTrail is a focal point for tourism and enjoyed by residents of Outlook, surrounding communities and visitors at no charge, and supported by donations and grants," said Con, reading from the group's proposal.
The committee's mission is to "provide safe access to people to work and enjoy the natural beauty and scenery from SkyTrail", and they feel there is an opportunity to see outdoor activities heighten in the community, should the bridge be reopened to the public. As well, partnerships with the local museum and the regional park may prove beneficial for the amenity and the committee, with a handful of people already attached, is always looking for more people to join their group and cause.
Robertson pointed out that at a recent meeting she'd attended with the Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation, she learned that there's a third-level granting opportunity that equates to $25,000 plus multi-year potential, so there could be the potential for a funding partner to come onboard as it relates to the SkyTrail. Of course, such a venture requires a significant proposal to be put together, and the thought process from the committee's perspective is that they'd like to know the Town's direction with the bridge before committing themselves to venturing down the path of hopeful funding.
After the group left, it was said that after Robertson gets some more paperwork to the Town, it'll be discussed further at the next Council meeting on September 11.
