DAWSON, Iowa, May 4 – The city council in little Dawson, which has a population of only 155 people, has voted to make an amazing $30,000 contribution to the expansion project of the Raccoon River Valley Trail, which will be built through the community this year and next.

On a per capita basis, it may be one of the largest municipal government contributions ever made to any recreational trail anywhere in the nation.

The Dawson city council approved the contribution at its April 7 meeting.

The RRVT trail expansion consists of creating a new “North Loop.” It will connect Herndon which is on the existing RRVT, east through Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, then southeast through Minburn, Dallas Center, to Waukee which is also on the existing RRVT. This loop itself will total 72 miles of trail and would be the longest paved loop trail in the nation. It will also bring the total RRVT length to 89 miles.

The City of Dawson’s funds came from the local options tax that the town’s voters approved about a year ago.

Here are the city council members of Dawson with a check presentation to Mike Wallace, the Dallas County Conservation director.  Left to right are council members Mike Owens, Glenda Hiddleson, Mayor Clarence Morman, Mike Wallace, council members Dan Hupp, Larry Nelson, and Burl Corrigan.

This local option tax was part of the “Project Destiny” proposal that included three counties — Dallas, Polk and Warren — and was to help pay for enhancements of recreation, arts, culture and economic development in communities in those counties. However, among all Dallas Counties, only the city of Dawson passed the special option tax, and they are now receiving “Project Destiny” funds and putting them to good use for the community.

The $30,000 will help pay for the construction of the RRVT to and within the city.

“We really appreciate the city of Dawson for stepping up and supporting this trail addition that will come through their community,” said Mike Wallace, director of the Dallas County Conservation Board, and a member of the board of the RRVT Association. “The city leaders see the value of such a project and are willing to support it however they can.”

The city also has a State of Iowa “REAP” grant that they will utilize to help pay for the trail within their community. These funds and others will assist in developing that segment of the trail addition.

“Hopefully this project will be bid let in August,” Wallace said.

It is anticipated if the weather holds, construction could start in September, but it is more likely that the construction will begin in the spring of 2010. The segment of the RRVT that will be started would cover from Dawson to Forest Park Museum, which is on the south edge of Perry and has the Dallas County Conservation headquarters adjacent to it.

In the mean time, the Dallas County Conservation Board is putting the finishing touches on the restoration of the Dawson Depot. This depot which was originally built in 1889 is being restored and will be used as a “welcome center” and trailhead for the new trail coming through town.

Looking at the overall North Loop addition, which totals 33 miles of new trail, many partners have been created and utilized. A variety of funds have been received from a diverse list of supporters, including Dallas County, all of the cities involved, Guthrie and Greene Counties, the RRVT Association, hundreds of individual donors, Prairie Meadows, the Bock Family Foundation, Alliant Energy, Casey’s Stores, several federal “enhancement” grants, state REAP grants, and many other entities and individuals.

There are several other grant applications and funding requests still in the works.

A major grant application has been submitted for Vision Iowa/Community Attraction & Tourism funds.

“If we would receive the Vision Iowa/CAT grant, it would put us over the top for funds needed to complete the entire 33 miles,” said Wallace.

With work completed on a major bridge and culvert last year just west of Perry and the current work of paving the trail within the city limits of Perry and the city of Waukee, things are progressing but slowly. Anyone interested in donating towards this project can contact Wallace at the Dallas County Conservation Board.

In a related project, it was announced earlier this spring that federal stimulus money totaling $945,000 is being directed to pay for the resurfacing of a 5-mile portion of the original RRVT, from Panora to Yale in Guthrie County. Work on that project is expected to begin late this summer or early in the fall.