Kalamazoo River Valley Trail
Encyclopedia
The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail is a 35-mile non-motorized trail in Kalamazoo County, Michigan
. A master plan for the Trail was completed and portions of the trail are finished and open to the public. A community campaign to raise $5.9 million, to be combined with committed government funds, is underway to secure the remaining dollars needed to finish the trail.
Valley Trail go back to the founding of two partner organizations—The Parks Foundation of Kalamazoo County and The Friends of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trailway. In 1982 a group of citizens wanted to protect parkland at the former Morris Markin
estate in northern Kalamazoo County and develop a recreational destination. The group created the Parks Foundation of Kalamazoo County and formed a partnership with the county to develop and protect park lands. Volunteers and donors raised more than $6 million to develop, protect and maintain Markin Glen Park.
In 1980 Kalamazoo leaders gathered to develop a plan for enriching the quality of life in the community. From this planning effort, The Kalamazoo Forum was created to tackle large-scale community issues, such as restoring the viability of the Kalamazoo River. Citizens, with assistance from The Forum, envisioned a non-motorized trail that would connect these communities and bring residents closer to the river. The Friends of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trailway was created to focus resources on completing a master plan for the trail. In 1996 a demonstration trail was completed at Mayors' Riverfront Park in Kalamazoo. The City of Kalamazoo added trail sections around downtown.
In 2000 Kalamazoo County agreed to manage and operate the proposed trail as a county park
. The next phase of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail was opened in September 2008. This 4.8 mile section runs from 10th Street at the head of the Kal-Haven Trail
to Westnedge Avenue.
campaign, which secured funds for the Kalamazoo to Kal-Haven segment and the Kalamazoo to Parchment segment, $2.8 million was raised in charitable funds from the community. Another $2.4 million was secured in Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) funds and $468,100 from local government
s.
The Parks Foundation is now raising charitable gifts for Phase II of the campaign to complete all remaining trail sections. The goals for this phase are $5.9 million in charitable contribution
s from the community, $5.5 million in MDOT investment, and $1.5 million. in local government commitments. These goals include an endowment fund
corpus of $2,000,000 for future trail maintenance.
Kalamazoo County, Michigan
-Air Service:*The Kalamazoo & Battle Creek Metro Area is served by Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.-Interstates:* I-94* I-94 Business Loop-US highways:* US-131* BUS US 131-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-43* M-89* M-96...
. A master plan for the Trail was completed and portions of the trail are finished and open to the public. A community campaign to raise $5.9 million, to be combined with committed government funds, is underway to secure the remaining dollars needed to finish the trail.
History
The roots of the Kalamazoo RiverKalamazoo River
The Kalamazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is long from the junction of its North and South branches to its mouth at Lake Michigan, with a total length extending to when one includes the South Branch...
Valley Trail go back to the founding of two partner organizations—The Parks Foundation of Kalamazoo County and The Friends of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trailway. In 1982 a group of citizens wanted to protect parkland at the former Morris Markin
Morris Markin
Morris Markin was a Russian-born American entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company .-Early years:...
estate in northern Kalamazoo County and develop a recreational destination. The group created the Parks Foundation of Kalamazoo County and formed a partnership with the county to develop and protect park lands. Volunteers and donors raised more than $6 million to develop, protect and maintain Markin Glen Park.
In 1980 Kalamazoo leaders gathered to develop a plan for enriching the quality of life in the community. From this planning effort, The Kalamazoo Forum was created to tackle large-scale community issues, such as restoring the viability of the Kalamazoo River. Citizens, with assistance from The Forum, envisioned a non-motorized trail that would connect these communities and bring residents closer to the river. The Friends of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trailway was created to focus resources on completing a master plan for the trail. In 1996 a demonstration trail was completed at Mayors' Riverfront Park in Kalamazoo. The City of Kalamazoo added trail sections around downtown.
In 2000 Kalamazoo County agreed to manage and operate the proposed trail as a county park
County park
A county park is a park managed by a county. In the United States, county parks are lower in hierarchy than state parks. In the United Kingdom, similar parks for recreation are named country parks....
. The next phase of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail was opened in September 2008. This 4.8 mile section runs from 10th Street at the head of the Kal-Haven Trail
Kal-Haven Trail
The Kal-Haven Trail, formally known as the Kal-Haven Trail Sesquicentennial State Park, is a rail trail that originally ran 33.5 miles between South Haven, Michigan, to a point just west of the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, where there is a trailhead...
to Westnedge Avenue.
Upcoming trail segments
During 2009 the trail segment from Rose Park in Kalamazoo to Mosel avenue was completed. This section includes a 14 ft. wide bridge over the Kalamazoo River at Paterson Street. In 2010 construction will begin on a 5-mile section from Mosel Avenue to D Avenue. This segment of trail will go through Markin Glen Park and the Kalamazoo Nature Center. Following completion of this section, the county will pursue construction of the segments from Mayors' Riverfront Park to Sprinkle Avenue (1.7 miles) and from Sprinkle Avenue to 35th Street (5.5 miles). After that work from 35th Street to Battle Creek (9.5 miles) and from Michigan Avenue to Kilgore Road (4 miles) will be finished. The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail will link Battle Creek to the Kal-Haven Trail from east to west and D Avenue to the City of Portage from north to south.Funding
Kalamazoo County and the Parks Foundation are partners in securing the $18.6 million needed to complete the entire Kalamazoo River Valley Trail. During Phase I of a fund raisingFundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
campaign, which secured funds for the Kalamazoo to Kal-Haven segment and the Kalamazoo to Parchment segment, $2.8 million was raised in charitable funds from the community. Another $2.4 million was secured in Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) funds and $468,100 from local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
s.
The Parks Foundation is now raising charitable gifts for Phase II of the campaign to complete all remaining trail sections. The goals for this phase are $5.9 million in charitable contribution
Charitable contribution
Charitable contribution deductions for United States Federal Income Tax purposes are defined in section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code as contributions to or for the use of certain nonprofit enterprises. See...
s from the community, $5.5 million in MDOT investment, and $1.5 million. in local government commitments. These goals include an endowment fund
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
corpus of $2,000,000 for future trail maintenance.