INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.- Completion of a new access ramp is cause for celebration in Tahoe Meadows at the trailhead of Ophir Creek, with a ribbon cutting ceremony taking place to commemorate a milestone for accessibility in the Tahoe Basin.

Tahoe Fund partnered with the Tahoe Meadows Access Ramp Committee (TMAR) to bring improvements to Tahoe Meadows through a project that took six years to complete. 

Roberta Ross, one of the founding members of TMAR, noticed people out in Tahoe Meadows using canes and wheelchairs, and she couldn’t shake the thought of making the area more accessible. 

After being introduced to Amy Berry, CEO of Tahoe Fund, Ross’s vision eventually became a reality. 

“Tahoe Fund gave us $15,000 and with that, we got real engineering plans. We’re forever grateful for them,” Ross said.

With the help of several Tahoe Fund donors, such as NV Energy and the Keyser Foundation, plans for the boardwalk gained even more momentum, matching a $75,000 donation from Steven and Sandy Hardie. 

Jesse Murray, Senior Vice President of Energy Delivery at NV Energy, said, “When the NV Energy Foundation has a chance to assist and help on a project like this, that expands access to all in our community, to enjoy an incredible place, it’s very easy to say ‘yes’.” 

To build the access ramp, Tahoe Fund reached out to Granite Construction, which had the knowledge and expertise to bring Ross’s idea to life.

“They’ve been lockstep partners with us, trying to understand how to value engineer it, how to get it done quickly, the right time of year to get it done,” Berry said.

Granite Construction has a passion for projects that help the community, so taking this on was a given for them.

Partnering with the US Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Carson Ranger District, Granite Construction was able to mitigate environmental challenges while staying within budget.

“We’re really appreciative of the US Forest Service. They did all the finishing touches on this,” said Gunnar Young, Project Manager at Granite Construction. “Tahoe Meadows is technically a wetland area, and right when we first started, there was a big rain storm so everything was completely saturated. We ended up having to import a lot of rock to help stabilize underneath.” 

Despite nature’s demands, the access ramp is finalized, leaving the boardwalk trails to be enjoyed by everyone, and to get the ball rolling, all it took was one person.

“This was a civic project. Even you can make a difference,” said Ross.

To learn more about the project, visit tahoefund.org/tahoemeadows