In January, an additional section of the Trolley Trail was purchased by City of Spokane Parks and Recreation thanks to the County Conservation Futures program administered by Spokane County Parks. But it was first thanks to local Molly Marshall, who submitted the application for acquisition. She is one of several who are passionate about preserving the trail, and this additional 3.8 acres in the Grandview-Thorpe Neighborhood is one step closer to the goal of a fully public-owned Trolley Trail.
The Trolley Trail is part of an old rail bed designed for an electric trolley that ran from Spokane to Medical Lake in the early 1900s. The recently-acquired land, willingly sold by a private landowner, locks down an additional 1,000 feet of the historic trail so it will be open to the public for the foreseeable future. Visit blog posts from January at Spokanecity.org for a map highlighting the specific area of purchase. The new property can be accessed via the 18th Street right-of-way off south C Street in the Grandview neighborhood. On this trail, pine trees tower, wildlife thrives, and you can catch hillsides full of arrowleaf balsamroot by mid-spring. Find the official Trolley Trail trailhead off S. Assembly Road. (OTO)
Cover photo courtesy of Lisa Laughlin
