<br />Lane County parks division officials <br />construction of the Cuthbert Amphitheater, which opened in 1982. The construction of the <br />amphitheater resulted in multiple ourse along the south side of the canoe <br />canal. Ultimately, the loop was rerouted closer to the Day Island Road parking area. <br />In 2000, three informational signs were placed along Pres Trail, providing a brief history <br />of Prefontaines career and a narrative of the creation of the trails. The 2000 signs replaced <br />previous signage which was removed due to vandalism. The more recent signs were a project <br />made possible through a combined effort of the Oregon Track Club, Eugene Parks, and <br />12 <br />Prefontaine Foundation. <br /> <br />Community Involvement <br />Accounts indicate that the Lane County Parks Department was immediately receptive to <br />the idea of <br />13 <br />the community to pitch in and help build the trails as a memorial to the runner. Lane County <br />agreed to move forward with developing the trail and by September (three months later), the <br />dedication and groundbreaking ceremony occurred. <br />14 <br /> In addition <br />to its construction, continued maintenance ov-three year history is also due to <br />the financial support and efforts of numerous individuals and groups. <br />The was made possible by donations from multiple <br />wood product companies and sawmills in the area. Working in cooperation with Bill Bowerman <br />and the Oregon Track Club and announcements in the Eugene Register-Guard newspaper, the <br />Prefontaine Foundation obtained commitments from several wood products firms. Participating <br />firms included Bohmeia, Weyerhaueuser, R & R Cedar, Giustina Broothers, Rexius Fuel <br />Huntington Wood Industries. In addition to a desire to back the community effort to honor the <br /> <br />12 <br /> <br />John Gunther, New trail signs honor Prefonatine, The World (Coos Bay, OR), August 15, 2000, <br /> <br />retrieved December 21, 2018 from Newspapers.com <br />13 Janet Heinonen, Track and Field News (March 1976), p 58, retrieved from City <br /> <br />of Eugene Parks and Open Space archives, Eugene, Oregon. <br />14 <br /> <br />Synergy (June 1976). Retrieved from City of Eugene <br /> <br />Parks and Open Space archives, 1820 Roosevelt Blvd, Eugene, OR 97402. <br />December 2018 Pres Trail-Historic Designation Page 8 <br /> <br />