nson e Area
SOUTH SKUNK RIVER (ELLSWORTH)
FORMULA BREAKDOWN:
ELLSWORTH
10%
TRAILS
WHAT YOU’LL SEE ALONG THE
JEWELLSWORTH TRAIL For a virtual tour of the trail, visit www.inhf.org/blog/jewellsworth
said Johnson. “Having trails in place gives people more opportunities to get outdoors.” Trails are also more than a recreational resource. For Jewell and Ellsworth, the JewEllsworth trail will serve as a safe transportation alternative for individuals and families living in the two communities. Kids can use the trail to travel from Ellsworth to county schools in Jewell, avoiding the hazards of Highway 175. Coffee shops and restaurants, like Sweet Treats Homemade Ice Cream in Jewell and Down Home Restaurant in Ellsworth, make the trail a perfect activity for families to enjoy in the evening or on a weekend afternoon. “We’re expecting a positive financial impact from walkers and trail users,” Mike Miller, Sweet Treats owner, said. The JewEllsworth Trail provides a chance for visitors and residents alike to get out and see what the community has to offer. For Boulton, this economic activity is another reward of trail building. “Maybe it wasn’t just the trail that did this, but the trail was a catalyst for change,” Boulton said. “Trails are these communities refusing to sit and wait for something to happen. It’s them saying, we need to make something happen. We need to move forward, not forgetting the way things were, but looking clearly towards the future.”
Looking towards the future is exactly what the people of Hamilton County are doing. “We want the best for our people, and we’ll do whatever possible to make that happen,” said Young. “The trail is a fantastic thing for our community. And when one community is successful, that success will be carried on to other communities.” In 2013, cost-share funding for the JewEllsworth Trail finally came through in the form of a State Recreational Trails grant. It was an incredible moment. Lammers credits the funding to years of dedication and partnership finally paying off: “Over that time, working relationships turned into friendships… and that was really instrumental in getting this project done.” The first time Young set foot on the finished trail it — well, it wasn’t quite finished. “The trail was paved, but the finishing touches were still being put on,” he said. “That was the first time I ever really experienced it as it is now. We had named one portion of the trail ‘Lammers’ Pass,’ in honor of Brian Lammers and all he did to make the project happen. I was scoping out a place to put the sign, and as I was taking it all in…” Young paused, emotional. “I felt like I was watching that last scene in “The Natural” with Robert Redford. He hits that home run, and everyone cheers.” A victory for all.
Projected annual funding: $18 million Trails have become an increasing driver of economic boom in Iowa, connecting rural towns and bringing tourists to recreational areas and local businesses. Trails are also helping Iowans stay healthy in safe, linear parklands. Trails are the kind of quality of life projects that attract young, vibrant workforces to Iowa — and keep them engaged in their community.
Potential projects • The 4.2-mile Iowa Great Lakes Connection Trail would connect the city of Spencer up to the Clay County/ Dickinson County line. Then a planned 3.8-mile extension would connect this to the Iowa Great Lakes Spine Trail in Milford. • The Fort Madison Middle School Connector is part of the Connecting Fort Madison! project. This extension would run to Fort Madison Middle School and provide safe walking and biking for the area’s schoolchildren. • Trails funding can also be allocated for the maintenance of existing trails and the establishment and maintenance of the state’s water trails.
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