Knutson earns national trail award

Published 9:00 am Saturday, December 9, 2006

HANSVILLE — Sid Knutson has often been called the grandfather of the Hansville Greenways Association and the founder of the trail system which meanders through 175 acres of Hansville, though he’s the first to point out it was all a community effort.

Tuesday night, however, proved Knutson has cut quite an impressive path of his own when he was presented with the American Trails 2006 State Trail Worker Award for Washington state.

But even as he received the honor, Knutson’s humility shone through as he turned the spotlight on his fellow volunteers.

“This really ought to be made out to the Hansville Greenways Association,” he said as Kitsap County Commissioner Chris Endresen handed him the award. “I didn’t do this all myself.”

The honor was a part of the HGA’s annual meeting, during which members plotted the next bend in the trail plan and discussed projects for the upcoming year. Those in attendance agreed the trail system wouldn’t be where it is today without Knutson.

“It’s really pretty neat,” said HGA stewardship manager Art Ellison. “When we first came here, I had a background in forestry, and I heard there were trails out here. I asked around, and somebody pointed to Sid and said he would be the right person to talk to.

“I started doing trail maintenance with him. I mean, the guy’s over 80, and he slows down a bit, he’s allowed to. But he’s still out there. He’s a, well, I guess you could call him a powerhouse. He’s extremely dedicated.”

After getting the award and posing for a few grip and grin photos, Knutson and HGA president Ken Shawcroft quickly guided the meeting toward reflections of 2006 and plans for the coming year.

“We really have gotten a lot done this year,” Shawcroft said. “We got the Alder Wetland Trail platform put in, which is dedicated to (Kitsap County’s senior maintenance supervisor) Dori Leckner’s mother.”

He continued, listing trail maintenance on the North Bear Meadow trail, an HGA open house, mowing all of the meadows in the Greenway, putting up “Mutt Mitt” dispensers for the four-legged trail users and working in conjunction with the Sterling Highlands development, which is under construction on Prospect Street, to make a trail connection.

“(Sterling’s) John Laughlin was really good about working with us,” Shawcroft said. “He just punched that trail straight through, and it’s ready to go now.”

There could be many more trails in the HGA members’ future if their plans for 2007 proceed as hoped, he added. The group is looking to expand the Greenway south by acquiring the Hawks Hole property with a government grant sometime next year.