CENTERVILLE, Iowa, October 8, 2009 – The long-awaited, 33-mile “North Loop” project on the Raccoon River Valley Trail in west central Iowa received a big boost toward becoming reality on Thursday, when the Natural Resources Commission approved $367,000 in grants from the state’s “REAP” program.  That commission is an agency of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and had its regular monthly meeting at the Honey Creek Resort State Park here in southern Iowa.

Those grants mean that the total needed to complete funding for the $6.6 million project is now less than $500,000.

A separate application from the Dallas County Conservation seeking more than that amount from the Iowa Recreational Trails grant program is now being considered by Iowa Department of Transportation.  The DOT’s commission next meets on Monday and Tuesday, October 12-13.

The “REAP” grants come from the state’s  Resource Enhancement and Protection program, which is funded by the Iowa Legislature from gambling receipts.   REAP, in its near 20 years of existence, has helped pay for many development and protection of many natural areas, parks, trails, historic and cultural attractions, and other “resources” across the state.

Cities, counties and a few other public agencies can apply yearly for REAP funds.  This fiscal year of 2010, the legislature made $18 million available.  The yearly amount committed to REAP varies.

The grants made official on Thursday included included $100,000 for the City of Perry, $75,000 for the City of Dallas Center and $50,000 each for the Cities of Minburn, Dawson and Jamaica.

In addition, $42,000 was approved on a larger grant application from the Dallas County Conservation Board.

All those grants are for trail development in those jurisdictions.

“This is a tremendous boost to our fundraising efforts,” said Mike Wallace, the Dallas County Conservation director, who has been the point person in the fundraising campaign that has gone on for more than three years.  ”The partnerships that have been created in trying to complete such a large project have definitely helped. 

“Having each entity do what they can to make use of various funding sources is important.  Each town the North Loop will go through was able to capitalize on the REAP grant opportunities.  Separately each grant does not amount to a lot when working on a $6.6 million project but together they make a difference.  What these grants and even individual donations do is leverage other grants and donations.  It all adds up.”

Wallace noted that “the success of the REAP grant applications also shows the statewide significance of this trail project.  Representatives from all around the state sits on the review committee that recommends the REAP grants to the DNR’s Natural Resources Commission.  They saw the quality and importance of such a great project.  Thanks to all that made this phase of the fundraising possible.”

Carla Offenburger, of Cooper, president of the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association, said that “the real impact of the funding goes way beyond developing the trail, and beyond all the recreation and enjoyment that will happen on it when the trail is completed.  This trail is going to become increasingly important as an economic lifeline for all these towns. 

“In most cases, it will be the most important tourist attraction the communities have — something that brings thousands of people to town every year,”  Offenburger continued.  ”Trail users will be spending money in the local businesses, looking for places to stay, or even places to buy so they too can live on the trail. So, this is as much about community development as it is about trail development.”

The “North Loop” project had another huge lift in early summer when the Vision Iowa Program board awarded $1.6 million from the Community Attraction & Tourism fund.  That fund also comes from the state’s gambling receipts.  The $1.6 million is to be paid over four fiscal years, and it’s now in the second year.  As a result, construction has already started on several small phases of the North Loop, including within Perry and Dallas Center.  Construction will also be starting soon from Perry west to Dawson, and from Perry southwest to Forest Park, which is the location of the county’s historical museum and the conservation board headquarters.

When the North Loop is completed, which will probably take at least two construction seasons, it will mean total mileage of the RRVT will be 89 miles, making it one of the longest hard-surfaced trails in the United States.  In addition, the 72-mile “loop” being created will be the longest such loop on a trail in the U.S. 

All that is expected to elevate the trail from being a state attraction to one that regularly draws users from all over the Midwest and across the nation.