(Le Mars) — The Plywood Trail Foundation held a small ceremony last evening at the Willow Creek Golf Club (Thursday) to celebrate and acknowledge some recent donations that have been submitted for the proposed recreational trail which would connect Le Mars to Sioux City via through Merrill and Hinton.
The Plywood Trail Foundation has raised over $4 million to support the trail effort from a variety of both public and private sources. Ryan Meyer, the president of the Plywood Trail Foundation says the goal is to raise $18 million. Among the announced donations included the Le Mars Betterment
Foundation with a commitment of one million dollars. Wells Enterprises and Mike and Cheryl Wells have pledged two million dollars. Schuster Trucking Company and Steve and Danna Schulster have pledged $150 thousand.
The city of Sioux City has committed $875 thousand dollars for the project, and an additional five thousand dollars have been raised through individual contributions from Plymouth County cyclists. Sioux City Chamber of Commerce executive director Chris McGowan and Wells Enterprises C-E-O Mike Wells both
spoke at last evening’s event, saying the completion of the 18-mile recreational trail will add to the quality of life and economic development for the region.
When completed, the Plywood Trail would become the longest recreational trail to be located in western Iowa. Meyer talks about last evening’s announcement.
Meyer says the donations and grants account for nearly one-fifth of the total amount needed for the completion of the proposed Plywood Trail.
Meyer says officials have now selected a proposed route for the first leg of the trail which would connect Le Mars with Merrill.
Meyer says the timetable to generate the goal of $18 million depends on the people wanting the trail. He says it is a competitive market to raise the needed funding.
