File photo / Courtesy, Maine Outdoor Brands
Maine Outdoor Brands Executive Director Jenny Kordick
November 7, 2024
Maine voters OK'd a $30M bond for improving trails — now what?
Photo / COURTESY, SCARBOROUGH LAND TRUST
Starting in January, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands will initiate a competitive grant program to provide $7.5 million per year for trail design, maintenance and construction.
By a majority of 55%, Maine voters on Tuesday approved a proposed bond that will provide $30 million in the next four years to invest in the design, development and maintenance of recreational trails around the state.
The bond’s approval came as leaders in Maine’s $3 billion outdoor recreation economy have been reviewing damage to trails and access roads from extreme storms last winter. In some areas, planners and officials have mulled whether to rebuild trails, reroute them or close them entirely.
The campaign to pass the bond referendum brought together an array of outdoor recreation interests.
The proposed financing received endorsement from more than 520 supporters, including 75 Maine cities and towns, 168 businesses and organizations — including L.L.Bean, 41 ATV and snowmobile clubs, 43 statewide and 193 local organizations. They include groups such as the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Maine Municipal Association, Maine Snowmobile Association, ATV Maine, Bicycle Coalition of Maine, New England Mountain Bike Association, Maine Tourism Association and Maine Outdoor Brands.
The Maine trails bond “will solidify Maine’s position as a national leader in outdoor recreation and fuel growth in our $3 billion outdoor economy,” said Jenny Kordick, executive director of Maine Outdoor Brands.
“Investing in trails means investing in Maine’s future — making our state an even more desirable place to live, work, visit and do business," she added.
Starting in January 2025, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands will begin a competitive grant program to provide $7.5 million per year over four years to towns, organizations and clubs, according to a news release. The funding will support design, maintenance and construction of trails of all types, including non-motorized, motorized, and multi-use trails, prioritizing accessibility and sustainable design standards.
The $30 million will also help leverage other sources of public and private funding to support trail projects.
Steve Kasacek, assistant director of a Millinocket nonprofit called the Outdoor Sport Institute, said he’s met with communities across Maine over the past few months to help them assess, plan and design trails.
“These communities have been putting in the prep work and are ready to make use of these funds as soon as they're available,” Kasacek said.
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