BONNERS FERRY — There’s a new recreational opportunity in town for everyone to enjoy, thanks to a team of dedicated individuals who came together to brainstorm ideas on getting community and school needs met.

A 1.1-mile-long cross country trail, with periodic exercise stations, and a frisbee golf course is being completed behind the Bonners Ferry High School.

From school district professionals, parks and recreation, the library, the hospital, a community member, the University of Idaho, to the city planner and mayor, the planning for the project was a collaborative endeavor.

The intent is to connect youth and school-related needs to the community’s recreational needs as well.

“The High Five! grant allows our community members, specifically our youth, to get 60 minutes of exercise a day. We are going to put in nine holes of frisbee golf as well. We will also have 10 workout stations around the track that will be basic, low impact to high impact activities at each station,” said Kevin Dinning, principal of Bonners Ferry Middle School.

The grant was created by the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health to combat obesity. They do this by helping with funding for projects that are specific to the needs of the individual communities that apply.

In Bonners Ferry’s case, funding from this grant has been recently received by the Boundary County School District.

The grant stipulates that any project using grant funds must be available to and benefit the community at large. The goal of these grants, described by the Blue Cross of Idaho, is focused at being dedicated to building a healthier Idaho.

For the trail project behind the high school, the multi-purpose plan is aimed at reducing childhood obesity by way of increasing physical activity and in providing a Cross Country track and practice field, for the school district’s athletics needs.

“If you walk around the course the whole way, and do all the exercise stations, you’ve completed your 60 minutes of exercise a day,” said Dinning.

Bonners Ferry Mayor David Sims stated, “Bonners Ferry received a total of $250,000 in 2016 through the High Five Community Transformation Grant.”

A steering committee was enlisted to help select what projects were to be funded through this grant. Projects that have been funded from the grant as of this time are: city pool renovations, city bike-ped plan, city splash pad, Boundary County skating rink, City of Moyie playground equipment, U of I extension programs, U of I little free gardens, BOCO Backpacks, high school cross country trail, high school cardio equipment, Mt. Hall Elementary School trail, library programs, bike racks, bike rodeo, and 9B trails river park equipment.

Boundary County School District Superintendent Janette Bayer said, “Naples Elementary has a proposal for a Gaga Pit, a soccer field and a track; at Mount Hall Elementary, there will be a track around the playground and a Gaga Pit, and Valley View Elementary will be submitting a proposal for grant funds.

“The cross country trail and frisbee golf feature has been awarded $10,000 of the total grant funding,” Bayer added.

The new cross country track, workout trail and frisbee golf course is available for community use anytime when school is not in session.