The future of trails and greenways in America The future ... - Atfiles.org

2006 National Trails AwardsAmerican Trails recognizes volunteers, professionals, and trails community leadersThe National Trails Awards are presented byAmerican Trails for outstanding efforts to createa national system of trails for all Americans.Theawards were presented on October 21, 2006, at the18th National Trails Symposium in the Quad Cities ofIowa and Illinois.✯ LIFETIME SERVICEAWARD: Bill BlissFor 40 years, Bill commuted towork from his home in San Joseto Lockheed in Sunnyvale. Hecrusaded for safer trails, bicycling,and bicycling facilitiesuntil he was tragically killedwhile riding his bicycle acrossthe country. Bill said, “It is nothow fast you ride, all that mattersis that you are moving in theright direction.” This was Bill’sapproach to biking, advocacy,and life.Bill Bliss✯ HULET HORNBECKAWARD: Tom RossThe first Hulet Hornbeck Awardwas presented to Tom Ross,who led the National TrailsSystem in the National ParkService’s Washington Officesince 1988. As a believer incommunity-based conservation,Tom encouraged and helpedsustain long-term partnershipswith national trails organizations.His guidance, commonsense, broad-ranging vision, andTom Rosscharm have graced the nationaltrails community for 16 years.✯ TRAILS FOR HEALTH AWARD:Arkansas River Trail Medical Mile ProjectMemorial Hospital Foundation - River Bluff TrailThe Arkansas River Trail Medical Mile is a multi-year collaborationproject between the City of Little Rock and HeartClinic Arkansas, the state’s largest cardiology clinic. To raiseawareness of public health issues and the benefits of trail10 NEW YEARS 2007 American Trailsuse, the collaboration was developed to raise $350,000 forthe construction of a “Medical Mile” on the Arkansas RiverTrail. To learn more about this project, see pages 30-32.The Memorial Hospital Foundation in Logansport,Indiana, formed a team to build the River Bluff Trail for thecommunity, to stress exercise as a path to a healthy life styleand longevity, and to insure the protection of communityenvironments by developing a walking trail.✯ PARTNERSHIP AWARD: American DiscoveryTrail, Quad Cities SectionThe construction of a segment of the American DiscoveryTrail, completed in 2005, required funding, support and partnershipfrom many entities. The trail section connects theGreat River Trail/Grand Illinois Trail/Mississippi River Trailin Rock Island over the Government Bridge on ArsenalIsland to the Mississippi River Trail in Davenport, Iowa.✯ TRAILS PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD:Steve AndersonSteve Anderson of Tucson, Arizona, is Principal Planner ofPima County Natural Resources Parks & RecreationDepartment. A trails advocate for more than twenty years, hehas been involved in successful trails and open space conservationprojects at the local, state and national levels.✯ OUTSTANDING MEDIA AWARD:Des Moines Register, IowaThe Des Moines Register newspaper has consistently and formany years been a public source of reliable information andstrong advocate for trail development on a local, state andfederal level. Their coverage has addressed trail issues fromnumerous perspectives such as personal stories, land condemnationissues, funding (state & federal), maintenancecosts, location, public participation, volunteers, design, editorials,and public reactions.✯ TRAILS AND THE ARTS AWARD:Back to the River, Inc., IowaThe Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trail tells stories of theLewis and Clark Expedition through monumental public artand outdoor exhibits in 15 parks and public spaces along 40miles of the Missouri River. The trail exposes people to thehistory of Lewis and Clark’s Expedition in a fun, originalway while encouraging use of the Nebraska and IowaRiverfront Trails and riverfront parks.