Trilogy at Redmond Ridge: Trotting Trails and Creating Community

Rob Guyott

When you read the word “trail” what comes to mind? Exploration? Nature? Serenity? Another walk on which your significant other is dragging you when there is a perfectly good game to watch? Everyone knows a trail. Appalachia has a pretty big one. Oregon has one (‘you have died of dysentery’). Even Ho Chi Minh had one. But this article is about community trails and how trails bring people together.

Trilogy at Redmond Ridge is a 55+ community that is part of an Urban Planned Development on Redmond Ridge. As part of the development agreement for the plat, King County required that trails be improved and made open to the public. Improving the trails has been an ongoing project that has included resurfacing, installation of bridges and a mapping system for improved safety. King County shares some of the costs but the bulk of the upkeep comes from the association and volunteers. Roger Coleman, co-chair of the Forest Stewardship Committee has been involved in the program since 2011.

20 Community Associations Journal | June 2016

In his private life, Roger helped develop missile systems for the US Army. He would have given me more detail but then he would have had to, you know, kill me. During his downtime Roger volunteered for the US Forest Service and worked in most of the western states improving trails, campgrounds and salmon habitat. Now retired, Roger is tireless in his devotion to improve the Trilogy experience and lifestyle.

Volunteers contribute 750 to 800 hours per year to keep the trails safe and enjoyable for Trilogy residents. Volunteering became so popular the “Friends of the Forest” group was created as a way to coordinate volunteers. Work parties, generally consisting of 12-16 people, have helped save the HOA approximately $40,000 per year in labor alone. They also help coordinate events for community trail education programs, charity bike rides and running groups.