When people move to a new area, one of the amenities they often consider is proximity to walking and biking trails. This is according to Raejean Chapman who is a local realtor but also a member of the Wright County Trails Committee. With that in mind, Chapman and her fellow committee members are excited for some recent developments for Wright County trails. A trail path from Clarion to Lake Cornelia has been mapped out and a special fundraising effort is right around the corner.
The work towards a larger trail system in Wright County goes back a number of years now. Chapman explained that the county supervisors obtained a grant about five years ago for a master trail plan. In 2019, a five member committee was formed. Though it may be quietly behind the scenes, the committee has been meeting regularly for the last few years.
According to the extensive trail plan, Wright County has less than 10 miles of developed trails and greenways (as of the publication of the plan a few years ago). The plan went on to identify priority corridors consisting of more than 40 miles of multi-use trails or paved shoulders. The intent of the trail corridor is to connect the most users and work toward creating a connection between the two largest trading centers for Wright County, Mason City and Fort Dodge. Four future trail corridors, totaling over 38 miles, were also identified to connect other communities in Wright County and begin connecting to areas outside of county borders to create a regional trail network.
In an effort to make those goals a reality, the committee is focusing their attention on the Clarion to Lake Cornelia part of the trail. Chapman says the goal is to complete this small section of the trail to help generate excitement for the larger project. This part of the trail will start on the northeast edge of Clarion just off Birch Lane by the high school. It will go on the inside of the tree line on school property to the east and eventually hop onto the old railbed. It will go east until it connects to R-45/Nelson Ave where the trail will meet up with the paved shoulder of the lake blacktop that will take it to Cornelia.
The completion of this portion of the trail will provide several benefits. Committee members think it will give Clarion town walkers a safe place to walk other than the streets. It will also give cyclists a safe path from the lake into Clarion rather than having to travel on busy Highway 3. And as noted, it will kick off the larger trail project and raise interest and awareness.
Chapman said they are very excited to be pursuing this stretch of the trail. However, it is not a simple matter of slapping down a strip of pavement. In addition to the meticulous planning, land must be acquired for the trail which can be a tricky and time-consuming process. And building the trail takes a great deal of time.
And of course, all of this takes money. The Wright County Trails Committee knows that they’ll have to raise plenty of funds to make even a short stretch of trail a reality. With that in mind, they are excited to be part of an upcoming fundraising drive called the Big Bike Give organized by the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.
According to bigbikegive.org, for the first time ever, Iowa’s bicycling and trail non-profit organizations are teaming up in a powerful one-day fundraising event. The Wright County Trails system is one of these organizations. The one day event will take place Tuesday, May 24. People can go to bigbikegive.org, search Wright County Trails and make a donation right from that site.
Chapman said they are happy to be involved in that fundraising effort, but even if people aren’t able to donate that day, there will be ample opportunities in the future. She also hopes people get involved by volunteering to help with fundraising subcommittees down the road as well.
With fundraising for the Wright County Trail soon to be in full swing, the committee is looking forward to making strides. They have a general goal of raising close to $1 million for this first stretch of the trail. Chapman adds that even with the funds in place, the construction portion will take time, perhaps close to seven years for that piece of trail to be finished.
“I have faith in the committee and faith in the people in this area to help make this trail a reality,” emphasized Chapman. In the end, it may be a long path to get there, but the completed trail will be well worth it.
Visit bigbikegive.org on May 24 to participate in the Wright County Trails fundraiser.
