A Grant Like No Other for a Water Trail that Runs Through Our Community!
William Bertram
The National Park Service – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program (NPS-RTCA) supports locally-led conservation and outdoor recreation projects across the United States. NPS-RTCA assists communities and public land managers in developing or restoring parks, conservation areas, rivers, and wildlife habitats, as well as creating outdoor recreation opportunities and programs that engage future generations in the outdoors.
The Great Pinery Heritage WaterwayTM (GPHW) touches every community from Tomahawk to Knowlton, tying our past with the present, and acting as a magnet for paddlers from across the Midwest for generations to come. We are so blessed to have the National Park Service select our project and welcome the support and expertise they have in making this a “trail like no other.”
Dave Eckmann, Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce CEO and president explained, “A significant component of our plan is to market the greater Wausau region as an outdoor recreation mecca of the Midwest to attract and retain skilled workforce and innovative companies. The GPHW proposal would help contribute to realizing this strategy and further enable the area to reach its full potential as a nationally recognized outdoor hub.”
The NPS-RTCA model pairs their experienced staff of professional planners and designers with our team from the community. Together, our partnership works to achieve a coherent conservation and outdoor recreation vision. Based on the complexity of the project, they will tailor their assistance to meet our needs and help navigate a path to success.
Our long-term goal is for National Water Trail Designation as the premier paddle trail in the Midwest. If you would like to find out more about The Great Pinery Heritage Waterway please go to our website at:
For information as to how the Parks Foundation impacts the quality of life in our community, please go to:
Key funding was provided by the Wausau and Marathon County Parks and Recreation Foundation, B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation, the Dwight and Linda Davis Foundation, the Dudley Foundation, the Judd Alexander Foundation, Merrill Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, the Dan Storey Foundation, and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism along with individual donors such as the Hadley Family Fund.
MEDIA CONTACT:
William Bertram, President of Wausau & Marathon County Parks & Recreation Foundation
715-212-8188; [email protected]
