Volunteers give weekends to trail safety
A group of rail trail volunteers braved the crisp cold of Saturday morning to continue working on the fence that will line the sides of the Elm Creek bridge.
The trail, tentatively named the Southwind Rail Trail, will extend from where the Prairie Spirit Trail ends at Riverside Park in Iola, and continue south for almost seven miles to Humboldt.
The trail goes over the old Elm Creek bridge, arguably the most scenic part of the trail. Volunteers are working weekends to get protective blockades put up along the sides of the bridge.
Thrive Allen County board member and volunteer Don Burns said to not block the view of Elm Creek, they decided to use 16-foot cattle panels, about eye level in height, so trail users will be able to look out at the creek.
Volunteers, roughly eight, began putting up the fence last weekend and estimated completion time is roughly a month.
The Sunflower Foundation is funding the project through a $25,000 grant received by Thrive Allen County, along with another $25,000 grant from the Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City, acquired by Allen County.
As of December volunteers have contributed nearly 560 man-hours with only about in $2,500 expenses.
BRAVING THE ELEMENTS
