The Pilot Hill project in Laramie is being awarded with the 2020 Project of the Year by the Wyoming Planning Association.

In hopes of protecting the 7,100-acre ranch from potential development, the Laramie community helped to raise over $1 million dollars while negotiating a deal with the state. Sarah Brown Matthews, the Pilot Hill Executive Director, credits the success of the project to forming creative alliances that helped create options for the project. Phase one of the project has helped build 21 miles of multi-use trails that will connect Laramie to the Medicine Bow National Forest.

In an interview with Wyoming Public Media, Brown mentions the remaining laid out phases for the Pilot Hill project:

Phase two adds another about 12 miles of trails that add a lot of connecting corridors within the system and variety for the different user groups...And then, phase three expands on those and also adds a trail that will be within the wildlife habitat management areas

Brown hopes that more communities will be inspired by the progress that's been made from the project and she also hopes the award from the state will give a boost to the upcoming phases as well. Additional funding for the project is still being sought from potential investors and perhaps the award may help boost the momentum of the project so that it gets done even faster.

The Pilot Hill park will have a grand opening during the summer of 2021 at some point when they hope to celebrate the opening of the new trails.

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