(Spirit Lake)– Efforts by the Dickinson County Trails Association to bring a recreational trail up along the west side of Big Spirit Lake are getting a big financial boost.
Dave Murphy of the Dickinson County Trails Association announced late Tuesday they’ve been awarded a 407,500-dollar grant for the trail. Murphy says the funding is through the Iowa Statewide Transporation Enhancement Fund and is awarded by the Federal Highway Administration.
Murphy says that, combined with local funds, it’s enough to entirely fund the total cost of the trail on the west side of Big Spirit Lake, which is estimated at 1,067,000-dollars. A 387,800- dollar grant received last year through the Federal Recreational Trails Program is also helping to pay for the project, along with 50-thousand dollars in state REAP money.
Now that the project is totally funded, Murphy says they can finally start construction this spring or summer. He says about half of the trail on the west side of Big Spirit Lake will be paved in the upcoming construction season. That includes the segment that begins at East Okoboji Slough and goes west across Peoria Avenue and around St. Margaret’s Cemetery; and a section that goes from the south side of Templar Park north to Marble Beach State Park.
Murphy says the rest of the project, which will have the trail running along the shoulders of old Highway 276 north from the north entrance of Marble Beach State Park north to the Minnesota border and from St. Margaret’s Cemetery north to Templar Park will be constructed in the summer of 2006.
Murphy says the Trails Association is looking at holding a major fundraiser this spring to replenish funds which have been pretty much exhausted in order to match the latest federal grant that was awarded to them.
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