HELENA — A section of the Mike Cormier Trail will be renamed and moved from private to public land. This is not only a way to honor the late Eric Feaver but a way to help keep public trails well-maintained and securely opened for future generations.
“With what Eric's done for this country, this state, and this city, we honor him. And what a more fitting way to honor him than to honor him with what he likes. I don't think I know of anybody who hiked those trails here in Helena more than Eric,” says City of Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins.
The City of Helena Commission recently approved a motion to move a section of the Mike Cormier Trail on Mount Helena from private land to public. This section will also be renamed the Eric Feaver Trail.
Feaver was the president of the Montana Education Association for 36 years and a former city commissioner who passed away at the age of 77.
The relocation of the trail is in step with the City of Helena’s move towards making trails as public as possible.
“It's always been the City of Helena's goal to have our trails on public ownership. And so, we, over the years, we’ve moved a number of trails for various reasons,” says Open Lands Manager for the City of Helena, Brad Langsather.
This relocation comes after similar relocation of the Easy Rider Trail and Mt. Ascension Loop Trail on Mt. Ascension.
Tim Lawrence, the Trails and Parks Coordinator at Prickly Pear Land Trust says that moving trails onto public land away from private is a benefit to those who utilize these trails and to the city itself for a couple of different reasons.
For one, it maintains unhindered access for the public for generations. Additionally, it allows the city to better maintain these trails.
“It's ultimately a good thing that we are securing protection for these trails. There have been handshake agreements in past and then ownership changes and then we lose trail access or we have to change it pretty drastically,” says Trails and Parks Coordinator at Prickly Pear Land Trust, Tim Lawrence.
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