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Norton, others<br>praise trail crew

YAVAPAI POINT — Grand Canyon National Park trail and reveg crew workers gathered at the small Yavapai Point amphitheater Wednesday afternoon to sit back and admire the work they had accomplished on the first completed section of the Grand Canyon Greenway, a multi-use trail system being constructed for future visitors.

The workers were not alone in their praise of the trail, which runs from Mather Point to Yavapai Observation Station. There were familiar faces at the gathering, such as park superintendent Joe Alston and Grand Canyon National Park Foundation president Deborah Tuck. But there also the heads of the National Park Service and Department of Interior on hand, as well as a few politicians.

"Grand Canyon has such a wonderful tradition with great rock work throughout the park," Alston said. "I think you guys proved it could be done again."

Tuck had a lot of praise for all of those involved. The GCNP Foundation adopted the Greenway as one of its primary fund-raising projects. Just this year, the foundation received a $1 million grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust to help construct initial phases of the trail.

"The first two segments of the trail are fully funded," Tuck said. "We expect to build another eight miles next summer."

Interior Secretary Gale Norton made her first Grand Canyon visit since being named to the post formerly held by Arizona’s Bruce Babbitt.

Norton and other dignitaries strolled down the Greenway, used an oversized pair of scissors to cut a ribbon and then addressed the trail and reveg crews along with media from around the state.

"Our goal is to make sure people have the best possible visit to the Grand Canyon," said Norton, who then along with National Park Service director Fran Mainella shook hands with the workers afterward.

Norton kidded with the workers, saying at 4:30 in the afternoon that "I have been authorized to say you get the rest of the day off."

The interior secretary said she was impressed with her Grand Canyon visit, especially with its overhead residents.

"I’d like to just say I am so excited to see the condors here," said Norton, adding later that she "was able to do a lot of things, but I’m never able to do as much as I’d like."

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) were among those attending Wednesday afternoon’s event, which followed a tour of the Fort Valley Restoration Project northwest of Flagstaff.

After the event with the Greenway crews, Norton fielded questions about a few other issues related to Grand Canyon and the National Park System.

The future of a light-rail system at Grand Canyon National Park has been in doubt ever since questions about its cost had been raised from officials such as Shadegg and Kyl.

"It is going to have to make economic sense," Norton said about the project, which would cost more than $200 million.

On the subject of five national monuments in Arizona created by the Clinton administration, Norton said she had no preconceived notions.

"There was no planning process before and we have to make sure that they meet the needs of visitors and their local communities," Norton said.

There were a few groups of protesters at Grand Canyon National Park during Norton's visit holding up signs such as "Revive the Colorado."

There were designated "First Amendment" areas set up by GCNP's public affairs office. One group protested at the corner of South Entrance Road and Zuni Way, the four-way stop near Shrine of the Ages, well away from Yavapai Point.

Mainella was sworn into her office as NPS director just last month, the first woman to lead the agency in its 85-year history. She previously served as the director of the Division of Recreation and Parks for the Florida Department of Environ-mental Protection.

The Greenway will eventually feature 73 miles of trails on both rims of the Canyon.

The first phase includes the trail from Yavapai Point to the westernmost overlook on Desert View Drive.

Although there was a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the trail remains closed to the public.

Maureen Oltrogge, public affairs officer for GCNP, said additional fill work is needed to level out the edge of the trail before it can open.

"Crews have worked extremely hard and have done a remarkable job," Oltrogge said through a news release. "We are almost there. Until completed, crews and equipment will continuee to be in the area."

The trail should be opening in the very near future.

Phase II of the Greenway will run from Canyon View Information Plaza to Grand Canyon Village. Construction is expected to begin this fall.

Phase III runs from CVIP to the proposed Grand Canyon Transit Center near Tusayan. That phase is currently in preliminary design stages with construction possible on some segments beginning next summer.

In all, the South Rim trails in the Greenway system will total 45 miles — the 38 miles from Desert View to Hermits Rest and seven miles from CVIP to Tusayan.

Plans for the North Rim portion of the Greenway include a 28-mile network of trails extending from Grand Canyon Lodge to the proposed transit center at C.C. Hill near the North Kaibab Trailhead, then out to Neal Spring and Cape Royal.


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