The Landmark is now raising money to cover materials for the rebuild, asking people to donate directly to the Landmark Support Fund. Organizers say the money will go solely toward reconstructing the trail, and they've apologized for how long the process has taken to get moving. Texas Tech University, which oversees the Landmark, confirmed construction is officially underway.
For neighbors who walk the Landmark's trails or bring kids out to see the site, the wait has been long. Since last fall, the trail has sat closed or damaged, one of the walking paths people use to explore the property. Because of the fundraiser, how quickly it gets finished now depends partly on public donations, not just university or city money.
It also puts a spotlight on vandalism at a site that draws people out to Lubbock's open land and trails. A damaged trail sitting untouched for months says something about how stretched maintenance budgets can get at public landmarks, even ones tied to a major university.
More than half a year after the vandalism, Texas Tech is still asking the public to help cover the cost of repairs.