Ronan paves addition to bike, walk path
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RONAN — After several weeks of work, the City of Ronan has another 400 feet of walking and biking trail through the southern portion of Bockman Park.
The $44,112 paving operation went smoothly on Friday, taking up the majority of the afternoon.
But the relative of ease of construction was due to several weeks of preparation headed up by Ronan Parks and Recreation Department director Jennifer Rolfsness.
Aside from the actual paving, Rolfsness explained that she and her crew “built it from scratch.”
Working with Rolfsness were city employees Jim Morgan, Kevin Templer, and Dave Marmon who surveyed and excavated the area.
The path extension was funded through a non-matching grant provided by Safe Routes to School. SRS is a federal grant that is available to Montana’s communities through the Montana Department of Transportation.
The grant was written and monies administered by Rolfsness.
Though the path has been laid, Rolfsness, her volunteers and the City of Ronan still have their work cut for them. The area surrounding the path requires additional landscaping. Plans include the addition of park benches, trees and grass.
Though there’s still work to be done, city workers agree that the path extension is a definite plus for residents participating in city-wide recreational activities.
“Besides lengthening our existing walkway and the obvious improvements to the park,” Ronan Public Works director Kevin Templer said, “It gives kids throughout town easy access to school.”
Plans remain to extend the walkway all the way to Ronan Schools on the north side of town and to continue the southern portion of the walkway into the conservation easement south of Ronan.
Rolfsness expects the completion of the path to be within five years.
