Mission accomplished: Bend Scout teams up with Central Oregon Trails Alliance on new fence, kiosk at Phil’s Trailhead Skills Area
Barney Lerten
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jake Garner, a local mountain biker and member of Boy Scout Troop 21 in Bend, reached out to the Central Oregon Trails Alliance in search of an Eagle Scout project for this summer, and now it’s mission accomplished.
Together, they identified a long-overdue task: replacing the orange safety fencing and adding clear signage to better define the Skills Area at Phil’s Trailhead, COTA said in a news release Tuesday.
Jake teamed up with COTA Trails Program Director Alex Brieger, as well as local business owners and Forest Service officials, to create a detailed project plan and timeline, which was completed at the end of July.
After securing approval from the Forest Service, Jake’s project moved forward, and he installed a new fence surrounding the Skills Area.
Jake also collaborated with Mike Brasfield from the Deschutes National Forest to build an official information kiosk, which features park guidelines and a trail map. The materials for the kiosk were donated by the local Home Depot and Lowe’s.
And a local business, Miller Lumber, generously milled and donated custom cedar split rail fencing for the project, which complements the natural surroundings and will last for years to come.
“This incredible Eagle Scout project highlights the strong community connections and local teamwork it takes to complete such work,” the trails alliance said. “COTA is incredibly grateful and proud of Jake in the completion of this project!”