The new Paperjack Creek Trail in St. Croix County, Wisconsin.
Trail project tests, builds community
by Mark Berglund
There are trails everyone uses, and trails everyone is happy with. Jim Heebink hopes New Richmond, Wisconsin, has both with the new Paperjack Creek Trail.
The trail is a 2.5-mile paved, nonmotorized path through the growing St. Croix County community. The trail certainly connects neighborhoods, but after overcoming concerns about the path, it might be connecting
people, too.
"This really has been a learning experience for everyone," Heebink said. "Words like 'compromise' and 'respect' come to mind when dealing with various groups and individuals on the trail."
Ground was broken in June and the trail should be completed this fall. It will include a pedestrian bridge over the creek to a new park when this phase is completed.
What seemed like a good idea in 1998 hit resistance and sent the
organizers back to the basics. Those basics include communication with the opposition and respect for those opinions.
The work is almost complete on the trail, but Heebink said the time for a ribbon cutting has already passed.
"We do need a sign or recognition for all the groups involved with this. There will be no ribbon cutting because people are already on the trail and using it," he said.
The project began six years ago when a study group was formed by the
chamber of commerce to propose a trail plan for New Richmond. Given the growth of the area, the surrounding townships were included in the plan.
A $16,000 grant was obtained to help draft the plan. The cost of the plan was $20,000 with the additional money coming from townships and the New Richmond Community Foundation.
The city was lucky enough to obtain a $400,000 enhancement grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to actually construct
a portion of the trail. The total cost of the project was $500,000 with $50,000 coming from the city of New Richmond and $50,000 from the community foundation.
The portion of the trail to be constructed in 2000 was called Paperjack Creek Trail. It followed a small creek through a portion of town. Then the conflicts began. For the next three years, the committee, city and various citizens met to see if an agreement on the actual placement of
the trail could be reached. Finally, when the time had almost expired on the grant, the Paperjack Creek Trail was substantially changed and construction moved forward.
The original plan for the trail was a path through existing neighborhoods. Heebink said the plan met the same resistance found in other communities. The nearby property owners were concerned about litter, crime, privacy and something new coming into the neighborhood.
"You can't argue about concerns," Heebink said. "You have to inventory those concerns and respect the other person. Keep the process moving forward. Keep it from stalling and dying."
Heebink said his group learned from mistakes made in the process. "We went to Plan B, and maybe Plan B is a different option," he said.
Heebink said an important step in winning over property owners is going to other local areas with trails to find out how such concerns can
be addressed.
"You have to try and reassure the people involved," he said.
Grant money was an important part of the New Richmond project. Heebink said grant money presents chicken-and-egg problems for developing trails: You need a solid plan in place to proceed, but sometimes the money is needed to jump start the plan.
"You better have a pretty good handle on what is happening if you're applying for a grant," Heebink said. "You have to have control of the
property you plan to cross. You can't assume people will go for it just for the greater good of the community."
He added, "It takes compromise. You have to talk to people one-on-one. You need a consensus and hopefully individual communication."
Heebink said open communication with property owners before the project starts rolling is a key.
"The adjacent property owners should be brought in early and talked to
on a one-on-one basis. You want to be open about it," he said. "To see it first on the front page (of the local newspaper) is a shock. Change is always uncertain for people."
Heebink said the personal relationships that committee members had with their neighbors helped.
He said there isn't a magic formula for putting a good committee together, but one ingredient is crucial, "You just need people who have the best interests of the community at heart."
New Richmond is a place where another chicken-and-egg question came up. Do you build the trail and then develop a community interest or let the interest drive development? The New Richmond Running Club is active in the community and generated interest in the trail.
"I think it helped. It's pretty commonplace to see people running or walking in the morning or the evening," Heebink said. "It has to come from within the community. It can't be someone from outside."
Heebink said the running club is just one part of the trail's success. He said the local newspaper is also among the biggest supporters of the club and the project.
"It takes a lot of pieces to make the thing work," Heebink said. "Even though it's a grant, 20 percent of the money came from the city of New Richmond and the development foundation. It takes the right personalities on the city and town boards. Our city planner was very receptive to the pathway."
While the project caused conflicts in existing neighborhoods, it will be an important part of putting new trails into new subdivisions as the community continues to grow.
"As new developments come on board, that's when you stress putting these pathways in place. Because of the presence of this trail, it makes it easier for future pathways," Heebink said.
New Richmond is just one of many St. Croix County communities
competing for new residents and businesses as the Twin Cities metro area spreads. Heebink said an effort like the Paperjack Creek Trail is part of the attraction.
"If a stranger comes to a community and sees trails and parks, it makes a subtle statement that this is a community you want to be a part of," he said. "There is keen competition for growth and smart growth."
| 
