Missouri Bicycle News

TrailNet and Great Rivers Greenway, two major organizations working to create the network of recreational trails in St. Louis, have reached an agreement about an undeveloped section of Grant's Trail and the two-mile West Alton Trail:

According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article:

The district bought the sections from Trailnet Inc. Both organizations work toward developing and promoting an interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails in the area. The Greenway District is taxpayer-funded, and Trailnet is a nonprofit group.

Just over a year ago, the district abruptly pulled its offer to purchase the two-mile section of Grant's Trail after learning from a Post-Dispatch reporter that Trailnet paid far less for the land than the district planned to pay for it. The district had budgeted $1.6 million, and Trailnet had paid $330,000 about two years previously. . . .


"I think it did help the deal along," Janet Wilding, project manager for the Greenway District, said of the West Alton trail. "A lot of things were discussed ... Our organizations came to a bigger understanding of what our roles would be. It kind of defined our missions more of us being in the trail-building business and Trailnet being more in advocacy and programming."

Curtis said the Greenway District is in a better position to develop the trails system, since they get about $10 million in sales tax money a year.

"They build the trails, and we get people out to them and do the programs," Curtis said.

Trailnet will use the money to pay off other projects and to speed along others, such as refurbishing the Old Laclede Power Building on the riverfront just north of the Arch. The building will feature offices, bike rentals and serve as a trailhead for the Riverfront Trail, Curtis said.

permanent link to article: "TrailNet and Great Rivers Greenway find a new relationsip in St. Louis"
posted by Brent Hugh at 1/18/2005 11:17:32 PM |comment on this article