From Friends of the White Pine Trail

Thursday, August 7, was a milestone day for the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail. That was the day that Dave Heyboer, Chairman of Friends of the White Pine Trail picked up a check for $502,240.00 from the Meijer Foundation and delivered it to Ron Olson of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) in Lansing. This check will start the next phase of trail paving with the ultimate goal of paving the trail in its entirety.

The Meijer money along with a Federal grant from the transportation bill for $2,240,000 will be used to completely engineer the remaining unpaved portions of the trail in preparation for paving. It will also fund the paving of a significant section of the trail starting at Cadillac and proceeding south. Further paving will take place as funds become available. Since the engineering will already be completed, future paving will be able take place without delay once funds are obtained.

The engineering will begin immediately and the paving will start in late spring or early summer next year.

There will be having a formal ceremony to launch the project on September 11, 2009 in Cadillac. It will take place at 11:00 a.m. in the morning. We will be inviting all legislators whose districts adjoin the trail as well as many other officials and community leaders.  Please attend this event if you can. We will let you know the location as soon as the details are firmed up. Right now it is scheduled to take place at the staging area, near the trail head, on the south side of Cadillac.

We still have money left from the one million dollars that Fred Meijer has pledged. It will be used to match additional funds as they come available.  This is not enough to complete the trail so we will be starting a campaign to raise additional money to keep the paving going until it is completed.

Southern section White Pine Trail work day

There will be a trail maintenance work day this Saturday, August 15 at 8:45 a.m., Rockford parking lot just north of the Wolverine Shoe Store (235 N. Main St. Rockford, MI).

We are planning on doing some site preparation for picnic tables that will be installed just south of House Street and south of Indian Lakes Rd. We will also be doing a little trimming, erosion control, etc. We can provide some tools, shovels, saws, loppers etc. Bring some of your own if you can. All volunteers welcome, no experience necessary!