COOPER, Iowa, July 24, 2009 – Supporters of the Raccoon River Valley Trail have launched a major fundraiser to help raise the last money needed to “Build the Loop.”

The project consists of adding 33 miles to the existing RRVT, extending it through five more towns in west central Iowa – Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn and Dallas Center.  It would connect to the existing trail at Herndon and Waukee.  This would create a 72-mile “loop” trail that would be the longest paved loop trail in the nation.  The addition would bring the total miles of the RRVT to 89.

On June 10, the State’s Vision Iowa board announced a $1.6 million award of Community Attraction & Tourism funds to help complete the expansion of the RRVT so that it will connect 15 communities and four counties.  Jefferson is the north trailhead and the trail will run to the Des Moines suburb of Clive, where it connects to the extensive trail network in the metro area.

“This grant and other grants, donations, and budgetary commitments have brought this project to a point in which we can see the light at the end of the tunnel” said Mike Wallace, director of the Dallas County Conservation Board.

The award from Vision Iowa is contingent upon the RRVT group raising $850,000 within 180 days of the award, or by December 7 this year.  The total project cost of constructing the trail addition from Herndon to Waukee is anticipated to be $6,655,696.  Wallace stated that because of a wide range of partners and support in this project, approximately $5,805,696 has been raised or committed, leaving the anticipated $850,000 left to raise.

The trail addition project has seemingly progressed slowly over the last few years, but in reality (in trail building time) things have progressed along at a pretty good pace. 

With the support of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the railroad right of way has been purchased.  From that point on other partners have done their part in putting all the pieces together to progress toward making a nationally significant destination trail.  The Dallas County Conservation Board has already completed some work on the trail addition by renovating a major railroad bridge across the North Raccoon River just west of Perry.  This bridge has now been converted to a trail bridge.  Other progress on the trail addition include: paving of the trail with the city limits of Waukee, Perry and hopefully Dallas Center in 2009.

The existing RRVT was first started in 1989 and went from Waukee to Yale, a total of 34 miles.  By 1999, the trail had been extended through Greene County to Jefferson and extended to the Clive Greenbelt Trail.  The existing RRVT is already designated as part of the American Discovery Trail which goes from cost to coast; as a “Millennium Trail,” and also as a National Recreation Trail.

For those who would like to help in this effort to “Build the Loop” and help make the Raccoon River Valley Trail a one-of-a-kind trail destination, you can contact Mike Wallace at the Dallas County Conservation Board at 515-465-3577.  For Guthrie County inquiries contact Joe Hanner, director of the Guthrie County Conservation Board at 641-755-3061.  For Greene County inquiries, contact Dan Towers of the Greene County Conservation board at 515-386-5674.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a major partner in this large project and they can be contacted at www.inhf.org.  The Raccoon River Valley Trail Association also serves as a main point of contact for the RRVT through the Internet site you are currently using.  You can also contact any of the local communities that the new trail addition will be going through for additional information.