By Joe Morey
News Editor
Marie Kuykendall, the Tribe’s Transportation Director, came before the LCO Tribal Governing Board on Monday, Oct. 26, to request some improvements and upgrades be made to the “Mike on a Bike” bicycle trail that extends from behind the Sevenwinds Casino Hotel all the way south to the LCO Ojibwe School.
Kuykendall asked the TGB to consider installing some benches along the route with solar-powered cell phone chargers and pet clean up bags because lots of people take their dogs for walks along the trail. She added the trail is getting a heavy amount of use and, “We’d like to see some kind of maintenance for the trail.”
Kuykendall also said that the trail is not intended for any motorized use and yet ATV’s and occasionally, vehicles are using the trail.
Brian Bisonette, CARES Act Projects Coordinator, was also at the meeting and Kuykendall asked him if he knew of any vehicles that could be used for snow removal through the winter so that the trail could continue to be used.
Bisonette said he will check to see if there are funds available from the CARES Act and whether it can be used for that purpose. He suggested that a vehicle with a blower, rather than a plow, be utilized so that snow doesn’t build up on the trail and over time, it becomes a narrow path.
TGB Member Tweed Shuman said part of the grant used to build the trail required the trail to be kept open year round.
Bisonette said they would research what the Tribe can get for the most reasonable cost. He said they would look at Bobcat’s with a snowblower attachment.