HICKORY RIDGE PLANS NEW AMENITIES

Chippewa County recreation area raising funds for upgrades

words: carlee shimek

NORTH OF BLOOMER IS nestled a beautiful trail route called Hickory Ridge. Across all four seasons this trail is home to hikers, mountain bikers, and cross country skiers. Now the hard-working volunteers who maintain this trail, the Friends of Hickory Ridge, are working to upgrade the amenities for this nature hotspot.

Friends of Hickory Ridge, a nonproft group, have been groundskeepers of Hickory Ridge since 2002. The group has worked closely with Eau Claire’s nonproft CORBA organization to make their trails the best they can be. Now they want to update their amenities for a more enjoyable experience.

The plans include expanding the parking lot, building a warming house for a cozy spot in the wintertime, creating an oversized shed to store equipment, and developing a mountain biking skills area, where youth and newcomers can practice mountain biking before heading out on the trails. The warming house will be a 24-by-24-foot building with electricity and the roofine will continue for another 24-by-24foot area to be used as a picnic area.

The new storage shed will be 30 by 48 feet and will also have electricity. This way, the volunteer workers’ equipment, like snowmobiles, that they use to pack down the snow for cross country skiing will be safe in the freezing wintertime.

Bill Zimmerman, a member of Friends of Hickory Ridge, said their goal is to raise $500,000 for the expansion plans. They’ve already raised $88,000, but need all the help they can get, so if you use Hickory Ridge and wish to see it become even better, don’t hesitate to donate. A timeline for when these projects could be completed is tentative, but they will happen.

To learn more about Friends of Hickory Ridge and how to donate, visit their Facebook page at facebook. com/skihickoryridge.