The communities of Perry and Dawson are gearing up for a grand opening on Saturday, May 14, of their portion of the new “North Loop” of the Raccoon River Valley Trail. There is eight miles of new concrete surface that runs on a diagonal from Forest Park, located just southeast of Perry, back through the heart of downtown, including right past the new center of Des Moines Area Community College and the famous Hotel Pattee. Then the trail goes on to the northwest section of town, where it turns west, passing right behind the Tyson Fresh Meats plant that is Perry’s largest employer, then on west through the countryside to Dawson. Shown here are the Perry Welcome Depot at the trailhead downtown, and a trailside garden there that the local Rotary Club has prepared for the delight of townsfolk and tourists. Work on the North Loop will likely be completed between Waukee and Dallas Center by mid-summer, as well as within the town of Minburn. The rest of the loop, which totals 33 miles, is to be completed in the summer of 2012. More details about the May 14 ceremonies in Perry and Dawson can be found now in “Trail Events” on this site, and a story and more photos are coming later today for the RRVT News.