TRUCKEE, Calif. – Truckee Little Leaguers might not love “benching it,” but locals and visitors strolling along the Truckee River Legacy Trail have a different view — and now, thanks to the Rotary Club of Truckee, they have even more places to rest, relax, and enjoy the scenery.

This spring, the Rotary Club installed five new six-foot-long upcycled plastic benches along a section of the Legacy Trail between the East River Street footbridge and Riverview Sports Park. Until now, this particular stretch of the trail had no benches, despite the many seating areas found elsewhere along the trail.

Each bench, made from more than 200 pounds of recycled plastic tops, was purchased through the community’s Don’t Drop the Top Program. Installation was completed with the help of Timmy Critz, owner of Grateful Gardens Landscaping, who donated his crew’s labor for the project.

Benches provide more than just a spot to rest — they offer shade, a place for conversation, and opportunities to enjoy a coffee or picnic. As the Rotary Club notes: that’s why Truckee loves “benching it.”

“We are proud to partner with the Truckee Rotary to bring these recycled benches to the Legacy Trail. It is amazing to see the region’s commitment to plastic waste diversion and collection to make benches going directly back into our community,” Ashley Perkins, who manages the Don’t Drop the Top program, said. 

A Legacy of Community Spirit

The Rotary Club of Truckee has long been involved with the Legacy Trail. In 1997, as part of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary project initiative, the club envisioned a trail that would celebrate and protect “Truckee’s Heart and Soul, the Truckee River.” They built the first three-quarter-mile section in Truckee River Regional Park and helped advocate for the development of an additional seven miles, now enjoyed year-round by thousands.

“We have 86 Rotary Club of Truckee community members who are committed to ‘service above 6000 feet,’ and our focus is on supporting the youth and seniors of the Truckee community,” Janet Van Gelder, past president of the club, said. “This includes many projects such as the building of the Truckee River Legacy Trail and placing benches along the trail for our community and visitors to enjoy the beauty of our area.”

Behind the Benches: Key Partners

The latest bench installation was a collaborative effort among several community partners:

• Grateful Gardens Landscaping: Timmy Critz and his crew transported concrete by bicycle and used only hand tools to pour foundations and install benches. “The trucks only transported the materials to the trailhead. Otherwise, it was an organic operation. No footprint. It’s a joy to work in your community,” Critz said. “It’s about community. If you’re in a position to help anyone in your community with some type of project…get out and do it because it’s a gratifying feeling.”
• Shane McConkey Foundation: Benches were purchased through the Foundation’s Don’t Drop the Top Program, which has diverted around 6,000 pounds of plastic waste from landfills. “Don’t Drop the Top” bins are stationed around Truckee and North Tahoe, collecting caps to be transformed into benches. Sherry McConkey, Founder and Director of the Shane McConkey Foundation, along with Perkins, dedicates countless hours each week to the program—personally collecting and emptying dozens of recycling bins across the community.
• Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District: TTUSD maintenance staff assists with bench assembly and the preparation of caps for shipment. Ashley Perkins, a TTUSD teacher, helps oversee the program.
• Rotary Club of Truckee: Current President Mitch Clarin emphasized the club’s enthusiasm for the project. “When Ashley presented this project to the Rotary Club of Truckee for one bench I said to myself ‘this is a great project, we need to do more.’ With the help of our local Rotary District and our great members, we were able to raise enough money for FIVE benches! I am super proud to be a part of this awesome project.”
• Town of Truckee, Truckee Sanitary District, and Tahoe-Truckee Sanitation Agency: These agencies helped facilitate installation on land they manage along the river and continue to support the trail’s development and maintenance.
  

Bench Locations

Visitors can find the new benches at the following locations:

• The Waiting Bench: North side of the East River Street footbridge.
  
• The Park Bench: A sandy park-like area about 200 yards east of the footbridge.
  
• The Shady Lady: Under a large pine tree east of the Highway 267 bypass.
  
• The Big Bend Bench: Overlooking a sweeping bend in the river in the Sweet Spot Park.
  
• The Kissing Bench: A secluded spot with views of river rapids, perfect for a quiet moment.
  

Looking Ahead

The Rotary Club plans to purchase and install five more benches in 2025 and aims to continue this tradition annually.

“It is projects like this that personally inspired me to join the Rotary Club several years ago,” Lauren Van Loon, Chair of the Rotary Club of Truckee’s Legacy Trail benches project, said. “Not only do I get to participate in creating a legacy with permanent fixtures for everyone in our community to enjoy; I also get to meet dozens and dozens of creative, hard-working and accomplished leaders within our community who are together making Truckee the wonderful community that it is.”Those interested in supporting future bench installations can visit truckeerotary.org, click on the Menu, and select the Donate button. The Rotary Club also welcomes suggestions for new bench locations via email at truckeerotary@gmail.com.