By HOLLY GASKILL
On Thursday morning, the city of Bluffton broke ground on an extension of the Interurban Trail that will connect the Rivergreenway to Lancaster Park.
The addition will expand the trail to over three miles in total length, which will eventually connect to a larger 81-mile Poka-Bache trail system connecting Ouabache State Park to Pokagon State Park in Angola.
According to Parks Department Superintendent Brandy Fiechter, Bunn Excavating will dig the trail for approximately the next 45 days. The trail will start at Lowes, following the east side of State Road 1. It will then turn east between ITOWN Church and the Jehovah’s Witness Church and connect to the back of Lancaster Park. There is also a half-mile trail around Lancaster Park.
The Parks Department was awarded over $404,000 from the Next Level Trails Initiative for the project and received many donations toward the grant’s 20% match.
“I’m so honored to be here today to celebrate this special occasion, which has been about 30 years in the making,” Fiechter said. “This project has been a long journey and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our community, amazing grant opportunities, and generous donors and landowners, so from the bottom of our hearts, the Park Board and I thank you.”
holly@news-banner.com
