BOCC discusses ORV park

PINEHURST — A recent meeting between members of the Shoshone Board of County Commissioners, Pinehurst Mayor Bob Jutila and a couple of North Idaho residents has the county looking into the potential of creating and operating an ORV (off-road vehicles) park.

ORV parks have grown in popularity over the years and regional enthusiasts Darrell Raver and Paul Loutzenhiser believe that an ORV park in Shoshone County could be a benefit to the local community.

Loutzenhiser, a Coeur d’Alene resident, has been working toward getting an ORV park in North Idaho for some time, but as land is being quickly purchased and developed in Kootenai County, he shifted his focus to Shoshone County.

He and Raver (another Coeur d’Alene resident) had the opportunity to explain their plight to the BOCC, as well as discuss the option of possibly having a park brought into Shoshone County.

“Land is going away really fast and is really expensive over there (Kootenai County) and a lot of people don’t want anything like this near them,” Loutzenhiser said. “So, what can we do? Well, maybe we can go somewhere else with it.”

Raver and Loutzenhiser have a plan for their perfect ORV park already laid out, with top of the line courses and trail riding included.

With the understanding that getting everything exactly how they have it planned may be a long shot, their plans still gave the BOCC something to look at when considering if Shoshone County could accommodate the idea.

While a park of this magnitude could cost millions to develop plus annual costs to maintain and supervise, Raver and Loutzenhiser have done a lot of research into potential funding options that they explained to the BOCC.

In their proposal, they show multiple sources for funding that have more than $5 million available in grant monies. The hiccup for Loutzenhiser and Raver is that they need a government agency to be the grant applicant.

Loutzenhiser believes that a park of this magnitude could be a year-round attraction with something for everyone.

“This would be perfect for Jeeps, side-by-sides, motorcycles, four-wheelers — but then in the winter time, it could be used for snowmobiles, snowbikes, you name it,” Loutzenhiser said. “With RV hookups and camping opportunities, this could be used for long weekends, competitions, base camps for hunting seasons. There are just so many opportunities.”

BOCC Chairman Mike Fitzgerald supported the idea and sees the potential for growth both in economics and exposure, but the challenge for anything like this always boils down to funding and available land.

“The direction this would take would need to be an organized one. To properly utilize the state grant monies and build the appropriate facilities,” Fitzgerald said. “We don’t want to just pick a location for people to go and have a free-for-all. So we would go back to the use of the word ‘park’ because it is important that we remember that that is what this would be.”

And while it may not be a huge money maker for the county itself — the stimulation of local economies, as well as giving the locals another fitting addition to their local communities is a priority to the BOCC.

“The real point and benefit here is to give the people a place to recreate safely,” Fitzgerald said. “We know it won’t be much of a money maker, but we would want to make sure it stands on its own.”

The goal for the group now is to identify various locations that could work for a base for their park, as well as seeing what the different areas can offer from a trail-riding standpoint.

For more information on Loutzenhiser and Raver’s plans and ideas, follow their Facebook page North Idaho ORV Park and Events.

For any comments for the BOCC, they can be reached at 208-752-3331.