Trailtracks-Summer 2003

Bliss Road to Alma!!

Since March of this year, Friends of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail have been working toward purchasing the 5.5 miles of land between Bliss Rd. and Alma. This is the critical link to connect Greenville to Alma and create additional linkages for our trail in the future.
Your Board of Directors has successfully worked to rail bank the property. In 1983, Congress amended Section 8(d) of the National Trails System Act to create a program to preserve rail corridors for future transportation use. This program, called “railbanking" is a method by which corridors that would otherwise be abandoned can be preserved for future rail use through interim conversion to a trail. There is a 180-day period allowed through this process to negotiate the purchase of the land.
The cost to purchase is estimated to be between $100,000 and $200,000. Some efforts to raise funds in the Gratiot County area will begin this fall.
Franz Mogdis, Robyn Anderson and Carolyn Kane have met with the Alma City Commission and the Alma Parks and Recreation Committee to include the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail in the City’s Master Plan.
Negotiations with CSX to finalize the sale will begin as soon as CSX has received required appraisals.

Stay tuned for news and further developments!!

Michigan Works!

Have you noticed some new benches, parking lots, and a viewing platform along the Trail? These improvements are due to the efforts of eleven young people from the county area, sponsored by the program Michigan Works! These young people, ages from 16 to 20, worked in the mornings, Monday through Thursday, for six weeks to complete many projects on our Trail: five parking lots (Ferris Rd. {2}, Miller Rd., Holland Lake Rd, and McBride), ten benches along trail sections, a 6’x10’ viewing platform near the Dalmac Historic Bridge, Trail Parking signposts, painted all the railings at the Historic Bridge and touched up large areas of the camelback bridge at Dickerson Creek. They installed fencing barriers at McBride and Holland Lake Roads and raked and smoothed 20 yards of gravel in the two Ferris Rd. parking lots, which was donated to the Trail by Michigan Works! They also cut brush for nearly the 12.5 miles of the trail. These young people were supervised by Dave and Rob through Michigan Works. Projects were planned and materials purchased by Don Stearns. Don and Karen worked with the group to complete projects for Trail users.

2003 Trail Banquet Summary

The 2003 Banquet and Fundraiser was again, very successful. The Silent Auction benefited from 100 plus donations and raised over $1,800.00. Nearly 200 diners enjoyed a delicious meal, catered by Mary Ellen Coldwell, of Blanchard. Raffle winners of 50 lbs. of spring chicken each were Ralph Grossbauer of Alma and Betty Salisbury of Sheridan. Steelhead fishing will be enjoyed by Don Edgar of Ithaca and Ilene Burr of Stanton seemed pleased to win the Mackinac Bridge Tower Climb. Barb Fuller of Alma was drawn for the two nights at McNally Cottage on Mackinac Island, and Diane Wilson of Vestaburg received the 21 speed Diamondback mountain bike. Raffle profits were more than $1,400.00. All profits will be of great benefit to the Trail. Many thanks to all who worked and all who participated!! Next year’s dinner will be May 15, 2004.

New Trail T Shirts!!

We have brand new T shirts to help you promote the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail. They are available in plum, green, gray, and blue, with the FFMHT diamond logo on the right front. Sizes range from M to XXL and shirts are only $12 each. They are super for gifts or to show your own support for our Trail. Call Carolyn at 989-427-5555.

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