Board approves cleanup of old cross-country trail at Eagle Park for community use

The Columbia City Park Board unanimously approved volunteers, including high school cross-country runners, to clear and revive an old trail through the woods at Eagle Park.

A high school cross-country coach approached staff with a proposal to use the students as a service project to reopen the former course that winds through the hills and returns near Brennan and Columbia Shores. The board discussed the likely scope — mainly brush and small-tree removal and reestablishing a footpath — and potential limits on city assistance during the current season because staff are preparing to winterize facilities and have other youth programs ongoing.

Board members said the trail is roughly a mile long and could be mowed or otherwise maintained a few times each summer; staff compared the project's maintenance needs to those at Irish Glen Trail, which receives two to three larger maintenance visits per season. Members noted heavier equipment like zero-turn mowers may not be usable on steep or narrow sections and that front-end mowers might be needed for some stretches.

A motion to allow volunteers to proceed with the cleanup passed after a second; board members asked staff to review expectations for ongoing maintenance and to show interested members where the trail runs before work begins.

Why it matters: Reopening the trail would add a community amenity used for training, walking and recreation; the board and staff emphasized setting clear maintenance expectations to avoid future upkeep burdens.

What’s next: Staff will coordinate with the coach and volunteers, evaluate equipment needs and report back if staff support beyond initial cleanup is required.