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$167,783 grant to fund a Mobile Mountain Bike Fleet in Duluth

(December 8, 2021) – Kids in Duluth will soon have more access to mountain biking on the Duluth Traverse once recommendations are approved to fund $167,783 for a mobile mountain bike fleet and programming.

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) just completed its extensive application review process and chose the Duluth Traverse Mobile Mountain Bike Fleet along with 19 other parks and trails around the state for a record $12.2 million in funding for Fiscal Year 2023. The GMRPTC will now ask the Minnesota Legislature to approve the recommendations through the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund, one of four funds created by the 2008 Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The Legislature has annually approved GMRPTC requests, since Legacy Funds are already dedicated and may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.

“We are so excited that that the Duluth Traverse has been selected for this program grant from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission. This grant will allow us to get more kids on bikes, provide instruction, transportation, offer instructor-in-training opportunities, and ideally help us grow the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and stewards,” said Parks and Recreation Manager Jessica Peterson. “This project builds on the good work of many organizations focused on reducing barriers to outdoor recreation, especially on public lands. We have a tremendous trail system, and yet it’s not yet accessible to everyone. Thanks to feedback from our community, the mobile mountain bike fleet will include a range of bikes to make the programs and trails more accessible for riders of varying abilities and comfort levels.”

“Every grant awardee is very deserving, and we commend them for how thoroughly they described their needs in their grant applications,” said GMRPTC Executive Director Renee Mattson. “It’s the dedicated people at the local level who make Greater Minnesota’s parks and trails really shine, and we’re pleased to assist them with their efforts.”

Mattson said the Commission is also allocating $212,053 to a new Connecting People with the Outdoors Small Grant fund, which will be available to all 67 designated parks and trails in Greater Minnesota.  Emphasis for grant criteria will be placed on increasing access for underserved and communities of color, enhancing handicap accessibility, transportation and programming.  Grant fund applications will be available in early 2022.

The 20 parks and trails recommended for funding are below. District numbers in the grid refer to these geographic areas of Minnesota: 1-Northeast; 2-Northwest; 3-West Central; 4-East Central; 5-Southwest; 6-Southeast.

“Legacy Funding is an amazing and far-reaching gift that Minnesotans chose to make happen by voting to tax themselves,” added Mattson. “Without Legacy dollars, many of these projects simply would not happen or would take many years before coming to fruition.”

The GMRPTC provides recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature for grants to parks and trails of regional significance in the 80 counties outside the seven-county metropolitan area. Since 2014 the GMRPTC has awarded more than $52 million in grants to over 50 regional parks and trails. Combined with $20 million in community matches, grants are used to fund infrastructure improvements, land acquisitions, new facilities, trail rehabilitation and more. Additional information may be found at gmrptcommission.org.

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