Ernie Lee, General Manager of Rimrock Subaru has a good reason for supporting Billings TrailNet through his generous $3,000 sponsorship of Ales for Trails: he knows that population affects his business. As new people move in, they need the proper vehicle for the terrain, and when Billings is attractive to people, they are more likely to choose Billings as home. Infrastructure such as roads and trails, parks, access to health care and schools are at the top of the list when people consider relocating.

“Once it’s built, you can’t get it back,” Ernie says. He remembers moving to Billings in 1987, where there was very little development on the West End. Just 30 years later, neighborhoods are abundant and businesses are flourishing. He believes that it’s important to build trails while there is still open space before development moves further west, to avoid becoming a “cookie-cutter community.”

Ernie believes that the trails in Billings set our community apart from others and make it special.  Compared to Spokane, Wash., “you’ve got a two mile loop and that’s it. Here, you can push your own limits. There’s a sense of adventure here.”