North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation reports 800,000 annual users, highlights volunteer and fundraising needs
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Summary
A Centennial Trail Foundation representative told the Post Falls Parks Commission the trail (about 23 miles, plus spurs) supports large annual usage and local economic activity; the foundation is seeking volunteers and fundraising help for maintenance and capital projects.
Tabitha, representing the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation, presented an overview of the trail's history, usage and funding to the Post Falls Parks and Recreation Commission.
She said the Centennial Trail runs roughly 23 miles from the state line to Higgins Point and connects communities through several spurs into Post Falls, Hayden and Coeur d'Alene. "In 2018...we had right around 400, 450,000 people using the trail," she said, and an updated study "found out over 800,000 people use our Centennial Trail each year," which the foundation estimates has generated about "$3,000,000 worth of new money that comes into the communities because of the trail."
Tabitha described the foundation's fundraising model — events (marathons and rides), sponsor miles signs along the trail and a membership program — and said those revenues are used for grant matching and to contribute to larger joint-powers projects, such as trail replacements and seal coating. She also urged volunteer participation for maintenance and events and answered questions about trail counters and permitted equipment (noting that non-pedal e-motorcycles are not allowed, while pedal-assist e-bikes are permitted).
The presentation emphasized both recreational and commuter uses of the trail, citing month-by-month counters near Riverstone and local commuter patterns. The foundation asked commission members to consider ways to support trail events in Post Falls and flagged opportunities for local collaboration on closures and communications during construction.
