The Carroll County Board of Supervisors has pledged up to $75,000 in funding for proposed trail work in and around Coon Rapids. At the supervisors’ meeting this (Monday) morning, representatives from the Riverside Trail Committee, Katie Mason from Coon Rapids Main Street and Jes Leighty with the City of Coon Rapids, sought support from the supervisors for an estimated $1 million project to resurface portions of the nearly 30-year-old trail and add new trail to create a loop. Mason details what work they are hoping to see finished.
She adds they are pursuing multiple grant opportunities that require a local match. They are seeking $75,000 from the county to supply a portion of that matching amount. Mason says this project is part of a larger ongoing effort to connect with other trails in central Iowa.
About two-thirds of the existing trail is owned by the county. The remaining third is either city-owned or leased by the county from private owners. The supervisors reviewed the request and identified Local Option Sales Tax as the best funding option for this request. The board voted unanimously to pledge $75,000 to the trail, contingent on prior grant approval. The Riverside Trail Committee is also seeking $75,000 from the Coon Rapids City Council to provide additional matching funds. If the committee can source the total $1 million, construction could begin as early as the spring of 2025.
