Correction: The Courier-Herald misreported Doc Tait’s year of death. Tait died in 2003, not 2009. The article has been updated.

The Foothills Trail Doc Tait Pavilion is now under construction.

The final pavilion was approved by the Buckley City Council during its March 11 meeting, and a muddy groundbreaking was held on March 24.

The trailhead will be constructed by the Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition, which was also instrumental in getting King and Pierce counties together to build the new pedestrian bridge over the White River.

The covered pavilion will be located on the corner of state Route 410 and Wheeler Avenue between the Buckley Youth Activity Center and the Veterans Monument. Amenities will include parking spaces, a bathroom, and interpretive panels that will help visitors learn about local history — specifically, Douglas “Doc” Tait and the Foothills Trail.

Tait was, as his moniker suggests, a Buckley doctor who started his practice in 1960 and cared for his community for three decades, and did everything from delivering babies to treating jail inmates and victims of logging accidents. He also trained the city’s first EMTs.

But Tait wasn’t just a beloved doctor; he was also a staunch supporter of the outdoors and was one of the founding members of the Rails to Trails Coalition.

”Doc Tait had a vision — to turn old rail lines into a trail for everyone to enjoy. But his contributions to Buckley went far beyond that,” Mayor Pro Tem Rom Smith said at the groundbreaking. “… His dedication to this community was unmatched, and it is only fitting that we honor him with a space where people can gather, connect, and continue to benefit from the legacy he helped build.”

Tait died in 2003.

Former Rails to Trails Executive Director Shayla Miles, new Executive Director Breanna Fokes, and the nonprofit Board Member Robin Partington also spoke at the groundbreaking.

This truly marks a new chapter for the Foothills Coalition,” Miles said. “With this Pavilion, we not only acknowledge the contributions of Doc Tait and other founders, we give the Coalition a true home – somewhere we can tell our stories and share our vision for the future of the Foothills National Recreation Trail: a mountain to sound trail, connecting communities and destinations throughout Pierce County.”

“The Doc Tait Pavilion will provide not just a place to rest, but a space for education, connection, and reflection. This trail and the pavilion are gifts to the community — gifts that will provide generations of families with access to the natural beauty of our area, and the opportunity to learn about the history, vegetation and wildlife that make this place unique,” Partington said, referring to the eight interpretive panels that will be installed at the pavilion with information like the history of the White River area and Doc Tait’s life.

If you missed the groundbreaking, don’t worry — a celebration of the finished project is expected this August.

A rendition of the Doc Tait Pavilion from the southeast. Image courtesy Foothills Rails to Trails

A view of the Doc Tait Pavilion from the southwest. Image courtesy Foothills Rails to Trails