Ken Pursley , July 23, 1998

In an interview with Troy Reeves on July 23, 1998, Ken Pursley discusses his involvement with the Greenbelt Committee from around 1971-1975. He recounts how he moved back to Idaho from Chicago because of his desire to be close to the clean water and recreational opportunities he grew up with; he was horrified to learn that the Boise River was too contaminated to safely swim in. He created Citizens Alliance, an organization focusing on local planning and zoning issues and exploring ways to support the Greenbelt Plan, which led to his appointment to the Greenbelt Committee. He describes the accomplishment of the passage of a setback ordinance, his satisfaction with the continuous nature of the pathway, his regret that the narrowness in some places makes multi-use difficult, his desire to see the Greenbelt extended more west as well as connected to the other trail systems, and the acquisition of Veterans Park. He highlights Bill Onweiler and Gay Davis Hammer as integral to the success of the project.