A squabble is brewing in Grand Forks over the potential use of the Grand Forks Greenway by snowmobiles. Snowmobile users want better access to downtown Grand Forks and they say the greenway is the path to get there. Opponents of the plan worry about conflicts with other greenway users including pedestrians, cross-country skiers, and cyclists.
It’s an issue that’s opening up a lot of debates — loud versus quiet, fast versus slow, local versus tourist, being open to new ideas and welcoming versus insisting that things remain the same. And it’s likely that it will all come down to a decision by elected leaders.
Why does this story matter in Minot? Hopefully, these are all debates we’ll be having soon here. Our flood control project and buyouts are well underway. The corridor they’ve created along the river is starting to take shape. But as of yet, Minot does not have a plan for reusing the land or capturing the opportunity — for snowmobilers or anyone else.
