Construction starts on “Next Level Trails” project

The City of Marion is working on a new bike trail that will eventually connect Cardinal Greenway to the Riverwalk.

“So this is phase one of probably a two phase to get us from attaching the Cardinal Greenway to the Riverwalk” City Engineering and Planning Director Mike Graft said. “So, next phase, we’re in conversations with how we’re going to do that. Now we’ll run across from 7^th Street where this one ends, which is down by the library and connect it back, probably to Boots Street, and then go north to where it attaches to the Riverwalk.”

This new bike trail received funding from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and locals.

“We did some crowdfunding through some locals that wanted to put some money into it. So, between that and some money that the city put together, we were able to get our grant through DNR, but were still quite a bit short” Graft said.

The project has a fund of around $1.8 million with some coming from the Lilly Endowment.

“So, we put our numbers together and was able to get a large part of the Lilly Endowment to add to the city’s numbers. So that put us at close to $1.8 million to do this” Graft said.

The purpose of the Lilly Endowment is to promote a connection between colleges and the community around them.

“It was a grant that they were giving last year to they was offering it to 27 colleges. 13 got it, and it was up to $25 million to enhance community. And it was to enhance community, but it was through relationship between local colleges and the community” Indiana Wesleyan’s Director of Community Collaboration and Engagement Keenan Davis said. “So, we use the grant to really improve the community in four different areas, work, live, play, learn. So, every project that we’re doing, we’re doing nine projects right now, and each one fits into, I can actually all fit into two categories of the four.”

The purpose of this bike trail is to bring Marion together.

“Ultimately this is here to connect the city of Marion. The big vision for this is that the whole entire city be connected ultimately to our Riverwalk” Mayor Ronald Morrel said.