County awarded $1.5 million grant for loop trail
The Community Foundation of Monroe County has been awarded a $1,530,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to help pay for the construction of the 6.5-mile Monroe Area Loop Trail.
The funding represents over 30% of the $4.77 million estimated cost to construct the trail, according to a press release issued by the foundation.
“We are so pleased to be awarded this grant on behalf of the entire Monroe community," said the foundation's director, Kathleen Russeau. "The amount is the largest ever received by our organization and it demonstrates the value of community partners working together in the ideals upon which our foundation was created.”
Designed as a 10-foot wide shared-use path, the Monroe Loop Trail will begin south of the River Raisin in the City of Monroe, extend west along W. Seventh Street and along a former railroad corridor to the Monroe County Community College on South Raisinville Road where the path will turn north to North Custer Road in Frenchtown Charter Township to the County Museum’s North Territorial Park and circle back east to meet the existing shared use Mark Worrell pathway at the City of Monroe’s Munson Park.
The Loop Trail is part of and connects to the River Raisin Heritage Trail, a documented regional trail in Southeast Michigan which is Monroe County's only regional trail. The trail will provide Monroe area residents and visitors with access to many regional and community recreational, cultural, and institutional destinations, including the River Raisin and Lake Erie through Sterling State Park.
The Monroe Area Loop Trail is expected to become Monroe’s flagship trail, which is planned in the future to connect north to Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail and south to Toledo and its extensive trail system. The project has both regional and community significance, as it will tie together international, national, and state assets owned and operated by multi-jurisdictional organizations consisting of federal, state, county, and local agencies.
These destinations include the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, Sterling State Park, and many other destinations such as Munson Park, Monroe County Trading Post and Territorial Park, Ellis Library, the Monroe County Fairgrounds, many county agencies and offices, the Monroe County Intermediate School District, the Monroe County Community College, and Monroe High School. Each of these destinations also double as community partners who support the project. Other partners include the Road Commission and the townships of Frenchtown and Monroe.
The financial support of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is one of the final pieces of the trail project’s funding plan. Several townships have also contributed funds to the project, including Bedford, Frenchtown and Monroe.
"Frenchtown Charter Township is honored to be a participant of The Monroe Area Loop Trail," said Frenchtown Supervisor Al VanWashenova. "We know that this venture will bring countless enjoyment to those within our township, as well as the surrounding communities."
“After several years of ongoing effort, it is welcome news to secure this significant funding source for the Trail Loop project," said Monroe County Board of Commissioners Chairman, Mark Brant. "But most importantly, with our local unit partners and others, we will be able to create a community asset for families and visitors to experience and support quality of life amenities including access to so many recreational and cultural points along the entire trail system.”
“We share Ms. Russeau’s excitement of the news of this funding award for the Trail Project," added Michael Bosanac, County Administrator/CFO. "As a visible project in the community, it reflects the Board of Commissioners objective of working together to create opportunities for our citizens. And it aligns with our Monroe Link Plan to focus efforts and resources on quality of life and tourism strategies to support more vibrant communities. With 32,000 residents within one mile of the trail, and 18,000 only ¼ mile from it, the trail responds to what citizens have said they wanted in various recreation surveys.”
City of Monroe Mayor Robert Clark also expressed his appreciation for the support of the grant.
“We are pleased to see the development of the Monroe Loop Trail as it will have recreational, health and economic benefits to the residents and local businesses in historic downtown Monroe," Clark said. "The trail will significantly expand the trail network, further connecting our local communities and beyond to the region’s natural assets, and the City of Monroe is a full partner of this important quality of life project.”
Monroe Township Supervisor Al Barron also voiced his congratulations on the grant award and project,
"This is great news not only for our township, but the entire Monroe County Community," Barron said. "This trail will give all residents, as well as visitors to our county, an opportunity to walk or bike safely while accessing so many worthwhile destinations. This certainly adds to the current recreational opportunities that currently exist in our community".
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grant-making organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect the devotion of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his beloved Buffalo Bills NFL team.
Prior to his passing in 2014, Wilson provided that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the foundation that bears his name. Based in Detroit, the foundation began with a grant-making capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Wilson’s desire for the foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best.
For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: County awarded $1.5 million grant for loop trail
