A few dozen people gathered outdoors in Springfield Thursday to dedicate a system of trails to former U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio.
Hikers and mountain bikers at 75th and McKenzie Highway will now enjoy the "Peter DeFazio Trail System at Thurston Hills Natural Area.”
The dedication is fitting for several reasons. DeFazio had a vision decades ago to make the property public. And more recently, he helped pass legislation aimed at protecting it from wildfires.
He told KLCC he lives “right around the corner” from the area and is excited about its future.
“This is just the beginning of the trail network," he said. "I mean we’ve got a lot of really good trails, a few are exclusive to hiking, some are more just for bikes, and there’s a lot more property to develop, so there will be more. It’s really an incredible asset.”
The Thurston Hills Natural Area opened in 2017. There are currently about 12 miles of trails.
DeFazio said he, his wife, and their black Labrador Liddy walk on the property nearly every day.
