(Arnolds Park)– The new year saw a change in the chairmanship of the Dickinson County Trails Association.
Doctor Randy Pas, a Milford dentist, took on the position January 1st…succeeding Ivan Brown of Spirit Lake.
The association held its first meeting of the new year Friday. It was reported the association has resubmitted a 356-thousand dollar grant request to the Iowa Department of Transportation to construct a loop around West Lake Okoboji. The association’s initial request was turned down last year.
Other expansion projects being proposed by the association are on the west side of Big Spirit Lake along Highway 276 from the stateline south to St. Margaret’s Cemetary where it would cross Peoria Avenue…connecting with the current trail along East Okoboji Slough. The association has received permission from the Iowa Department of Transportation to use highway right-of-way. Tentative plans have the trail on both sides of the highway from the Minnesota stateline to Marble Beach Marine; from there south it would be on the west side of the highway.
The trails association is also working with the Dickinson/Osceola Rail Association, or DORA, in putting in a trail along railroad right-of-way between Spirit Lake and Lake Park. DORA has tentatively agreed to grant right-of-way for the proposed project.
There’s no word as to when the projects would actually be carried out.
