A federal program that helps restore nature trails has provided $143,434 in funds for re-surfacing the entire Old Creamery Nature Trail, from Vinton to Garrison to Dysart.

"The grant will fund the re-surfacing of the entire 15 miles of the Old Creamery Nature Trail," says Conservation Board member Randy Scheel.

This re-surfacng will include preparing the trail base (grading and spraying vegetation), laying a 2" clean base rock for the wet areas of the trail and to raise it 2" to 4" in height, rip rap around the 9 bridges, laying down a weed barrier, surfacing the trail with lime chip 12 foot across the trail and 4" thick, and grading, rolling and watering the trail to ensure firmness.

"In other words, the trail will get a huge facelift," said Scheel. "As much as anything, this is so exciting for all three communities along the trail.  The trail has been in pretty rough shape since the flooding of 2008.  We have basically been able to patch together parts of the trail to keep it passable at times.  But with the windstorm in July 2011 and flooding again in the spring of 2013, we have some areas of the trail that are wore down to the original bed and difficult to cross on a bike.  This grant will really help put the Old Creamery Nature Trail back on the map."  
 
The Conservation Board has set a fund-raising goal of $20,000 to go towards the 20% match that is required as part of this grant.
 
"The total grant is $179,293; the Recreational Trails Program will fund $143,434, and our match is $35,859," Scheel explains.
 
See the Old Creamery Trail page on the Iowa Trails web site HERE. 
 
Below is the press release concerning Iowa projects:
 
Iowa Transportation Commission approves federal Recreational Trails Program funding
AMES, Iowa – Jan. 14, 2014 – Today, the Iowa Transportation Commission approved $1,643,139 in total funding for seven federal Recreational Trails Program projects. The program projects must be for the purpose of developing and maintaining recreation trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and nonmotorized trail users. The projects and approved funding amounts are listed below.
  • Clear Creek Trail – Phase 7 (Coralville): $493,305
  • Flint River Trail – Phase 1A: Flint Bottom Road to Irish Ridge Road (Des Moines County): $423,000
  • Gypsum City Off-Highway Vehicle Park (Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Webster County Improvement Corporation): $300,000
  • Old Creamery Nature Trail (Benton County Conservation Board): $143,434
  • Sibley Recreational Trail (Osceola Recreational Trails Association and Sibley): $25,000
  • Snowmobile Grooming Equipment Purchase (Iowa DNR and Iowa State Snowmobile Association): $240,000
  • Support for Program and Bicycle/Trails Summits (Iowa Department of Transportation): $18,400
The federal program was created in 1991 and program funding is available to cities, counties, state and federal agencies, and private organizations through an annual application-based program.