Yelm to receive $1 million in funds for Fuller Footpath downtown alleyway

One of the City of Yelm’s most historic individuals, Faye Fuller, is one step closer to being honored by serving as the namesake for the city’s activated alleyway project — known as Fuller Footpath — as Rep. Marilyn Strickland has helped Yelm secure $1 million in funding for this revitalization plan.

The legendary Yelm native, Fuller, will see her legacy continue to grow, posthumously, nearly 70 years after her death. With Fuller Footpath, not only will she serve as the namesake for the revitalized alleyway, there will also be informational plaques about her legendary climb on Mount Rainier.

Fuller, a former teacher in Yelm, was the first woman known to summit Mount Rainier. Her inspiration to climb Mount Rainier dawned when P.B. Van Trump, one of the first documented people to summit Mount Rainier, visited her classroom.

Climbing in adverse conditions on Aug. 10, 1890, Fuller made her trek over Mount Rainier. According to the National Parks Service, Fuller set out from Camp Muir, reaching the summit at 4:30 p.m. She described the experience as “a heavenly moment,” and added, “nothing was said. Words cannot describe scenery and beauty; how could they speak to the soul?”

Sixty-eight years after her death in 1958, Fuller’s legacy continues in Yelm as the activated alleyway, dubbed “Fuller Footpath,” will soon be constructed.

Cody Colt, on Monday, Feb. 23, told the Nisqually Valley News that Rep. Strickland’s office helped the City of Yelm secure $1 million for pedestrian activity and amenities in the downtown area.

“We’re applying it to the Fuller Footpath project. We were about $1 million short in local funds to get there. That bridges the gap,” Colt said. “We just have to get all of the paperwork done with the Federal government. That’s all we’re waiting on now.”

Colt noted that each year, the City of Yelm applies for federal funding with Strickland’s office — as she’s the city’s local federal representative. For the first time ever, the City of Yelm was able to secure funding after applying through her office.

He noted that Yelm originally asked for “a lot more money” to do a different project in the downtown area, but said it came down to the question of “hey, we have $1 million — does that work?”

Additionally, Yelm has finished the design plans for the project and acquired all of the needed right-of-way space. Once federal funds are allocated to Yelm, Colt said the only thing left to do will be putting the project out to bid — which will last two-to-four weeks. Once bids have been submitted, the city will hire the lowest qualified bidder and then construction will begin.

“The hope is that if we get a response back from the Federal government in the next month or two, we can go to bid in the late spring or early summer,” Colt said. “We’re expecting the construction timeline to be quick, but there’s always stuff that happens. I’d imagine it would be done by the fall, but it will definitely be open by next summer.”

Colt said currently, the eventual Fuller Footpath sits as a dilapidated alleyway in between Yelm City Hall and Pho Yelm, Habitat for Humanity, Tim’s Pharmacy, Fair Game, White Horse Tavern and Grits and Gravy.

“There’s that back alleyway that’s there and in really bad shape,” he said. “The idea is you change that into a footpath, or an activated alleyway, where people can walk and you can have vendors there. There can be events in this area. It will revitalize this area that isn’t really used at all. It’ll turn it into a destination area, especially with the park nearby. You can bring in events like Jazz in the Park and the barbecue rally — you can link the alleyway into these things. It’ll be right off the main drag too, which is really cool.”

Additionally, Fuller Footpath will have plug-in availability and space for food trucks to set up and participate in local events.

“It’s going to be a very desirable place. Line (Roy) is already starting to plan events, like a food truck day or a tasting event,” Colt said. “Those restaurants and businesses can also put seating out there during the day.”