Lowell Area Trailway Benefit

Join our friends in Lowell for a fun event. Call 616-868-6751 for information.

West Michigan Trails & Greenways Celebration

West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition
Annual Meeting & National Trails' Day Celebration 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009 - 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Be comfortable and ready to enjoy a delightful evening.

Join us, as we celebrate the Trails & Greenways connections of our region, and say 'Thank You' to those who have helped make them possible. We'll do some networking, present an overview of the work to date, and talk about new trail projects -- Come see what's happening on the Trails!

RSVP by June 5th. Just mail us your name, contact information, and the names of those in your party -- to, WMTGC, P.O. Box 325, Comstock Park, MI 49321. Or, you can e-mail your attendance information to director@wmtrails.org. Kindly consider helping us offset our costs with a $10/per person donation (tax-deductible). For e-mail responses, we can send you a self-addressed donation envelope later on.

Please join us for an evening of fun & celebration in the beautiful setting at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, with hors d'oeuvres, drink refreshments, and tram tours during the festivities.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Upcoming Trail Meeting Schedule

Note: It is always a good idea to contact trail groups to confirm meeting times, dates and locations. Everyone is welcome at all meetings listed.
Thornapple Trail Association
Monday, June 1st, 7:00pm Middleville Village Hall, 100 East Main St, Middleville MI
Friends of the Musketawa Trail
Thursday, June 4th, 7:00pm Ravenna Village Hall, 12090 Crockery Creek Dr, Ravenna MI
Lowell Area Recreation Authority (LARA)
Wednesday, June 10th, 6:00pm Vergennes Township Office, 10381 Bailey Dr NE, Lowell MI
Friends of the White Pine Trail
Wednesday, June 10th, 7:00pm Cedar Springs City Office, 66 S Main St, Cedar Springs MI
Friends of the Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail
Wednesday, June 10th, 7:00pm Rick's House of Wheels, 814 W Main St, Owosso MI
West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition
Thursday, June 11th, 1:00pm Greenville-Lowell-Ionia corridor task force, Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, 113 Riverwalk Plaza, Lowell MI

Trail links Kentwood's Paul Henry, M-6 pedestrian paths

KENTWOOD -- Work being wrapped up now will link two busy trafficways: the M-6 pedestrian path and the Paul Henry Trail. The final project, under Kent County jurisdiction, rebuilds a bridge under 60th Street near East Paris Park. It will link the M-6 path along 60th to the Paul Henry Trail at Wing Avenue SE. Charlie Ziesemer, parks and recreation director, said the connection will open up the Paul Henry -- already probably the busiest trail section in the city -- to even greater use. With the link, people can visit East Paris Park, then walk or bike to the Paul Henry Trail or along the M-6 trail.

City leaders hope to see another trail going north through Plaster Creek to connect with Stanaback Park, north of 44th Street. "I don't think we could ever have enough trails," said Kendall Klingelsmith, deputy parks and recreation director. That's what residents seem to think. Results of the 2005 parks master plan update show residents have one request when it comes to the trails: More, please. "We've become more focused on becoming a walkable community -- not just for exercise and health benefits, but so people can get from point A to point B without having to get in their cars," Klingelsmith said.

The parks master plan includes a wish list of trails and how they could connect. The city recently completed the second phase of the east-west trail that stretches between Division and Kalamazoo avenues, north of 52nd Street. Now, staffers want to find a way to connect that trail with the Paul Henry, which runs in a southeast direction from 44th to 60th streets between Kalamazoo and Wing avenues.

"We need to find a good way to connect those two," Klingelsmith said. Grants and community development block funds helped pay for previous trail projects. "We're always looking for ways to expand our trail system," Klingelsmith said. "It's such an important part of fulfilling our parks and recreation department mission."

Courtesy of the Grand Rapids Press
E-mail Theresa McClellan: tmcclellan@grpress.com

West Michigan Trails & Greenways Spring Update

Check out the West Michigan Trails & Greenways Spring Update for many exciting local trail happenings. Click HERE

Caledonia Paving!!

Paving has begun north of Caledonia in Kent County. Click on "Photos" on the header bar for more shots. Thanks to Laura Knight at Caledonia High School for the pictures. This picture was taken on Wednesday, October 29th at Kraft Ave near 92nd St looking northwest. The new pavement extends from Main St in Caledonia northwest to 76th St. Another section of trail is being completed along 60th St from the Wing Ave trail head to East Paris Ave. Plans are moving forward to bridge the gap between these two sections. The section of the M-6 Trail that begins near the Wing Ave trail head is also nearly complete. Trail users can take this to Division Ave in Cutlerville. The M-6 Trail also extends from Clyde Park Ave to Kent Trails. Plans are in development to complete the M-6 Trail between Division Ave and Clyde Park Ave. When the these gaps are filled riders will be able to ride all the way to Millennium Park and John Ball Park Zoo from Caledonia and Kentwood without hardly having to use any surface streets. Other plans being worked on include connecting Kent Trails to the Musketawa Trail and White Pine Trail through Walker as well as connecting Caledonia to Middleville and beyond on the Paul Henry Thornapple Trail. A regional trail network is beginning to come together.

Middleville Trail Closure

Just a reminder that the Middleville section of the Paul Henry-Thornapple Trail is closed during the month of November due to firearms deer hunting season.

A Note from the West Michigan Trails and Greensways Executive Director

It's Fall, a beautiful season and a great time of year to get out on the trails for some wonderful color tours!
We hope you are enjoying the Trails & Greenways around western Michigan!

Did you know...
1. Many of the trails are developed and maintained by individual citizen's groups?
2. Many communities & townships support the trails and contribute to their development?
3. It take approximately $75 to cover the cost of constructing one foot of trail?
4. Trails & pathways are safe alternatives to motorized transportation for commuting?
5. Trails & pathways are a safe route to schools for many?
6. You are a key piece of the ongoing work to build new trails and maintain existing ones?
Visit our website: www.wmtrails.org to learn more about West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition, and to learn how you can be a partner with us.
Visit www.networkforgood.org to make a tax-deductible online donation to West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition.

Thank you for using the trails -- and, thank you for supporting our work.

West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition
P.O. Box 325 -- Comstock Park, MI 49321

Please take a moment to complete this brief survey. We want your input...
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aNxiRQuyX83CD2nbib_2fZDg_3d_3d
Thank you.
--
Sharon R. Nunnelee
Executive Director
West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition
4658 West River Drive
Comstock Park, MI 49321
616-485-7805 (cell)
westmichigantrails@gmail.com

Message from the West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition

Dear West Michigan Trail Supporters:

As we get geared up for 2008, we can reflect on many great accomplishments from 2007. We completed our $6-million Phase I capital campaign, we were able to get another 28 miles of blacktop on the ground, we're in our new office right off the White Pine Trail at 4865 West River Drive, and we are celebrating several new executive board officers.

We need your help!

Help us jump start 2008 with a donation to the West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition. Simply go to www.wmtrails.org/2007/join_up.htm and click on Give Online. The Coalition has teamed up with Network for Good to make your online donation quick and simple. We'll even send you a reminder of your contribution at tax season next year.

Please forward this message to friends and family who want to be a part of trail and greenspace success in West Michigan in 2008.

Sincerely,

Dennis Kneibel
President
West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition

Exciting News from our Friends at the White Pine Trail

Update 9/20/07

We are very happy to report that the paving of the trail to Sand Lake is done! Dean Wall of Dean’s Excavating reported that his paving crew finished the final layer of asphalt on September 19th. His crews are completing the trail shoulder restoration which involves grading the shoulders so they slope away from the trail then raking them out and applying hydro-seed to prevent erosion. During the upcoming weeks they will be replacing signs and doing the final steps needed to wrap up the project.

The Friends of the White Pine Trail would like to recognize the extraordinary work that Dean and his company did on the trail. The project was completed ahead of schedule and the final product is something we can all be proud of. Dean noted that one of the unexpected benefits of the trail paving project was all the excitement and enthusiasm that he received from trail users he happened to talk to. If you have not yet ridden the trail north of Russell Road I would encourage you to do so soon. There has been a steady increase in trail usage since the paving began as a whole new group of trail enthusiasts use the section that was only gravel before.