Malta Trails to hold Radio-Thon this Friday

Malta Trails Inc., through grants and community support, have raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars for the first two phases of their trails projects with the hopes that community members will get outdoors to walk and bike their way to a healthy lifestyle.

"This all started when I started walking for exercise," said Malta Trails member Laura Pankratz. "Once you get out of the house and into the community, you really start to see things that are needed in Malta. We don't have continuous sidewalks or wide enough shoulders of the main highways and streets in our area to accommodate foot or bike traffic. Once you start intermingling with traffic, and try to figure out the best places to walk and bike, it got to be where I felt we needed a better system."

Pankratz said she visited other small communities in Montana, she noticed walk and bikes paths and decided Malta needed something similar.

Almost four years ago, a meeting with about 35 people in attendance was held and agreed with Pankratz that a system was needed. Shortly after, the first Malta Trails project got underway with the Trafton Trail – a project that a different organization had started but wasn't able to complete.

Now, nearly four years after its inception, the Malta Trails are only $48,000 away from finishing Phase II of the trails system.

Phase II already has .5 miles completed with about another 1.2 miles left to go. The monies used to complete the .5 miles was obtained through a grant that the group received in 2013 -- $31,500 -- from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's Recreational Trail Program (RTP.) With each one of these grants there is a 20-percent match that Malta Trails had to come up with.

The Malta Trails raised that money through various fundraisers over the past four years. Besides the Malta Trails Brew Fest, the group has also helped in other community events and volunteered their time in Ag Days, PC Motorsports, the Phillips County Health Fair, PC Museum and Historical Society Club, Malta Boy's and Girl's Club, Malta Opportunities INC., Special Olympic Events, Phillips County Youth Court and Services, a Pedestrian and Bike Safety Clinic and the Coffee Cup Fun Run.

The total estimated cost for the Malta Trails System – Phase II including the pedestrian and bike bridge access to Phase II Trails from Riverview Park and 1.5 miles of trail is $259,243.60 (all the figures are estimates.). That price tag includes the bridge estimate, foundation for the bridge, paving access to and from the bridge; and handicapped assessable parking and construction of the 1.5 mile trail.

The Malta Trails have funded this project with two Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) Grants – totaling $88,311.60 with a 13.42-percent match on both from Malta Trails – a $4,000 donation from the City of Malta and $12,700 raised by Malta Trails through fund raising.

The 1.5 miles of Phase II has a price tag $124,232 which includes construction costs, gravel materials and hauling, culverts and gates. Monies already raised for Phase II have come from two MFWP Recreational Trails Grants totaling $103,500, a grant from Montana Dakota Utilities for $10,000, a donation of $5,000 from Ezzie's Wholesale, a grant from Northwestern Energy for $1,000 and $800 from Malta Trails fundraising efforts.

The total estimate of monies needed to fund the rest of the Malta Trails Phase II Project is the match of the $90,0000 which is $20,000.00 These monies raised will go towards the trail construction.

For future work such as fencing, seasonal help, mowing equipment, weed spraying , benches, informational kiosks and beautification design work along the trail is what the additional $30,000 will be intended to use for.

To help cover the remaining costs of Phase II, the Malta Trails will be holding a Radio-thon this Friday, August 22 starting at 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. and then on Saturday, September 27, the group will be holding their annual Brewfest at 6:00 pm starting at the Stockman Terrace. They would love to have a great turn-out and finish up the funding efforts on this project. In addition to the Brewfest, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Recreational Trails Director Beth Shumate and company will be here to attend the event and give the Malta Community a big applause for their hard work and dedication to the trail project!!

"It will be one of the lowest costs recreational and maintainable projects we can build for Malta," said Pankratz. Plus one of the safest paths we can use to get away from the busy highways and streets.

"The end is nearly in sight," said Pankratz. "After that is completed, we will be working with MDT to do Phase III along US Highway 191 South. We just want to be sure we have the second phase done first." These two phases will someday be connecting together and making our town a better path for all bicyclists and foot traffic in our area.

On the 16th of September the Malta Trails will meet with Montana Department of Transportation, the City of Malta and the Phillips County Commissioners to discuss projects that will be near or on Highway 191 South which is still in preliminary planning.

"We would like to have some type of connectivity there," said Pankratz. She added that Malta Trails would like to construct walkways to keep children off of busy intersections congested with morning traffic during the school year between the elementary and junior high and high school. The Phase II Trail will also develop a path that would include a route to travel to the Saddle Brook fishing hole near the golf course. This path will be on City Right of Way to the fence line of the private property of the Marian Hills Golf Course. It will then be up to the owners of the golf course if willing to allow this as safe route for the children and residents to get to that area without using the narrow highway of US 191 South.

All in all, the project was a big one for the community to take on and with the continued support to develop connectivity and safer passages for the community to walk, bike and use for healthier lifestyles is the whole mission of the Malta Trails Group. As their mission statement states: "Building a healthier community, one trail at a time. Let's do it Malta!!! "