POCATELLO — In an effort to beautify this area, as well as to provide a possible economic boost, members of The Portneuf Greenway Foundation have been working to connect a series of trails and paths begun two decades ago.

The foundation, with a mission to help establish and improve the Portneuf Greenway as a community resource, and to encourage restoration of natural areas along the Portneuf River to enhance the quality of life for Pocatello and Bannock County residents, held a public meeting Monday evening at the Pocatello City Hall.

The foundation’s main focus over the years has been the development of a 13-plus mile Greenway trail system along the Portneuf River, through the city of Pocatello to public land trailheads.

The entity provided detailed plans of eight Pocatello locations where land acquisition and/or city permission is all that is required to move forward with the project. These include individual trails at Simplot/Swanson Reach, Sacajawea Reach, North Downtown Reach, South Downtown Reach, Maag-Shadyside/Red Hill Trail, AMI Trail and the Edson Fichter Nature Area.

Two of these areas are attainable soon: the Raymond Park extension (in the Sacajawea Reach) will run along the concrete channel to Irving Middle School; while the Chubbuck Road to Lois Lane route will run from the completed trail through a new subdivision on Lois Lane.

“Some very dedicated people had an idea about establishing trails and walkways here more than 22 years ago, but since then, we have only been able to create about 9 miles — and most of that is unconnected,” said Tamara Code, the foundation’s executive director. “We are trying to connect these trails now because it is a free way for people to recreate and enjoy this area’s open spaces. It will bring tourists here and be a boon to our local economy.”

The group has to contend with landowners who do not want trails, which bring pedestrian traffic on their property. Code said a reluctant City Council has had difficulty seeing the big picture.

“Individually, there are good people on that panel, but collectively, they’re reactive. We need a proactive council,” she said. “A study from Colorado State University has shown that property values increase from 20 to 40 percent where there are trails. The city needs to see that things can only improve if these are created here.”

The city of Blackfoot creates the 10-plus-mile Jensen Grove Recreational area and in Idaho Falls the City Council recently dedicated 1 percent of its budget, more than

$1.4 million, to greenway trails.

Lynn Hebdon, a member of the Pocatello Open Space Committee, shared Code’s frustration.

“I know there are members of the council and city planning staff who really do want to properly utilize our open spaces and make this a destination location,” Hebdon said. “But how can we do that when we cannot even provide adequate recreation?”

He added that there is so much diversified activity here, local government needs to realize just how much these greenways and trails will mean to changing the image of an old, tired city to a fresh, active metropolis.

Hebdon, a 28-year Air Force veteran, bemoans the fact that other areas he has served in or visited, such as Anchorage, Alaska, Portland, Ore., and parts of Colorado, already have active and growing greenway projects.

“It seems to me that the city often takes the easy way out,” he said. “What makes it so frustrating is that there are so many personal interests conflicting. We could be putting in 10 miles of trails a year. We need to get them in, get some plants in, too, and make this town look beautiful.”

To find out more about the Portneuf Greenway Foundation, visit its website at www.pgfweb.com.