The Marshall County Council members took the first steps toward the start of projects outlined in the Marshall County Crossroads Regional Stellar Communities Regional Development Plan.
Mike Reese from The Troyer Group and Allie Shook asked the council to support $25,000 of the $400,000 the council agreed to include as Stellar match funds if the county was designated a Regional Stellar Community.
“The first project is the Trails Master Plan which has been included in that $400,000 with Stellar, but this project is a little different than the other ones because it doesn’t actually have Stellar state funding so there’s no OCRA or INDOT funding for this project,” explained Reese. “It’s all local money with the county, MCCF, and other private donations.”
The $25,000 was less than the initial request which was $40,000. Reese said that Allie Shook was able to gather donations of funds for the Trails Master Plan to bring down the county’s portion. The other $15,000 will go toward art installation and other service-type projects within the Stellar plan.
Reese said the Trails Master Plan will benefit the entire county with a network of trails.
Reese continued, “It would connect the different towns and city with trails, shared bike routes, and different ways to connect the communities in Marshall County. That was part of our goal in Stellar. We’re also looking at the communities themselves and developing a bike plan within each community so we can develop the whole network.”
By doing it that way, grants will be easier to obtain from INDOT, OCRA, IDNR and others to continue to build the trail system.
Reese said overall $1 million was earmarked in Stellar money for the first phase of the trail with about half of the county’s commitment to go toward that goal.
“This Trails Master Plan will help identify the best route for that first phase of the trail. We’re going through a lot of public engagement, talking with the cities and towns and county so that trail can have some backing where people want to see it.”
Shook said they’re looking down the road to be able to connect to regional trails such as the Nickel Plate Trail in Fulton County, the Great American Rail Trail with a southern connection in Starke County.
“There’s lots of folks who use it from a tourism standpoint,” stated Shook. “There’s bike groups that do 100-mile rides and if we had that connection into Plymouth you’re looking at going after folks that live in Noblesville, Westfield, and the north side of Indianapolis who can ride here and stay here for the weekend. They can spend some money in downtown Plymouth, or downtown Culver, or downtown Argos and then they head the next day back to Indianapolis.”
The trails could also be used for those who want to ride their bike to work or school by having a safe route.
Shook has also spoken with Marshall County Circuit Court Judge Curtis Palmer about incorporating the Marshall County Parks and Recreation Board into the discusion, if established.
The Marshall County Council members approved the support of funds as requested for the Marshall County Trails Master Plan.
