Mountain out of a Tubbs Hill

COEUR d'ALENE - Susan and Udell Long worry it would set a bad precedent.

Begin to develop Tubbs Hill now, they said, and what's to stop more bigger and better features in the future?

Stephen Petersen, in his 70s, can't access Tubbs Hill. The trails are too difficult for him.

He thinks the people who want to preserve Tubbs Hill for its beauty would actually prohibit a portion of the population from ever being able to appreciate the hill's scenic views.

"It's narrow minded," Peterson said. "They don't want any changes, that suggests to me the people in my age group essentially don't have any access to the hill."

Itemized, Tubbs Hill is just one area up for change under the McEuen Field conceptual plan.

But those changes put the downtown hiking hill in the 'Big 3' category: The three parts of the plan about which city officials and park designers have received the most polarizing feedback.

Replacing the Third Street boat launch is at the top of the list, officials have said.

The other two topics are removing the American Legion Baseball Field and altering Tubbs Hill.

On Tuesday, hikers, joggers, and Tubbs Hill users discussed the hill part of the plan.

Tweak it? Keep the status quo?

"It's not a bad change, making it more accessible for disabled people," said Jerry Compton, walking dogs Otis and Dodger. "But it's been touched enough already. If it came down to a vote, I'd probably come down on keeping it the way it is."

Tubbs Hill is downtown's natural gem. It's 120 acres, bordering Lake Coeur d'Alene, with a 2.2-mile trail following the shoreline from its west to east entrance points.

The proposed changes include a new, eastern trailhead that would connect a wider, Americans with Disabilities Act compliant-trail across the north face of the hill. That new trail would connect with the current west entrance. Both entrances would be beautified, with possible water and garden features nearby.

The new path would connect also with a path hugging the base of the hill completing an easily-accessed half mile hiking loop for anyone who might find Tubbs Hill's current trails too narrow or difficult.

And along the top of the new trail, a portion of the hill would be cleared to create a sledding hill.

Look out below.

Carey Kaplan, lugging her baby in a backpack carrier as she hiked, said the more trails, the better.

"I'm not opposed to anything with it all," she said. "I'm all for it. I like that they're trying to incorporate more uses and bring more people to the park and the hill."

Ditto for runner Mark Cochran.

"What it sounds like, 95 percent of the trail would still be intact and it would allow more people to enjoy the hill," he said near the Third Street entrance. "It's something I might even use to run intervals."

Others feel change is too much to ask. They want to preserve Tubbs Hill in its current, natural state. Among those, the Tubbs Hill Foundation, which wrote letters to the city and The Press stating how it wants the hill untouched.

That's a feeling backed by many of the hill'susers.

"I like it the way it is," said Jim Robinson, who counts Tubbs Hill as one of the best areas in town. He said he has seen other cities' grand plans developed, and never used, something he doesn't want to repeat at home. "I don't see any need to change it."

Udell Long said changing the hill for a small segment of the population isn't a part of the Tubbs Hill culture.

"I can't redo a parcel like this for 15 percent of the population," he said. "I want my four-wheeler out there, where does it stop?"

An informational meeting about the plan is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Woodland Middle School.

"Everything's going to change eventually, said Doug Holt, hiking his dogs on Tuesday, something he'll continue to do with or without the changes. "I'm fine with it, as long as they're not screwing everything up."