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Community Corner

West County Residents Have Second Opportunity to Weigh in on Great Rivers Greenway's Plans to Expand Trail System in West County

St. Louis, Mo., July 18, 2013… Area residents will have a second opportunity to weigh in on a proposed 15-mile expansion of the Western Greenway that will allow pedestrians and cyclists using the Monarch Chesterfield Levee Trail in Chesterfield Valley to connect to the Meramec River in Wildwood. The Great Rivers Greenway District (the District) is inviting area residents to the second of two interactive open houses to learn more about the proposed greenway and provide feedback that will help shape the project. The open house will take place from 4:30 – 7 p.m. on Aug. 1 at Wildwood City Hall, located at 16860 Main Street in Wildwood.

 

Representatives from Great Rivers Greenway were able to speak with many residents at the first open house on June 25 and gain valuable feedback on the proposed expansion, and the District is hoping even more West County residents will come to the Aug. 1 open house and share their visions of how the trail should look. The vision for the Western Greenway includes approximately 15 miles of multi-use pathways, linking the existing Monarch Chesterfield Levee Trail, which is part of the Missouri River Greenway, to Babler Memorial State Park, Rockwoods Reservation and Greensfelder County Park, which are all located in Wildwood.

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 A 1.5-mile segment of the Western Greenway, the Hamilton Carr Trail, is already complete and currently connects Rockwoods Reservation to the Al Foster Memorial Trail in the Meramec Greenway.

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The Western Greenway, an integral part of Great Rivers Greenway’s 600-mile planned system of regional trails known as the River Ring, will provide residents and tourists with an unparalleled opportunity to connect with nature and history along the nearly 6,000 acres of public park lands it will link, allowing residents to easily access historic structures that are listed on the National Register, walk or bike through sites that were once inhabited by Native American cultures, visit Missouri’s first conservation area and experience a rich diversity of plant and animal life, as well as caves and rock formations.

 

“The Western Greenway expansion project will allow us to make St. Louis an even better place to live by enabling residents, from hikers to cyclists, to enjoy parts of our region that are both beautiful and rich in history ,” said Susan Trautman, Executive Director of Great Rivers Greenway.  “We highly encourage residents of West St. Louis County to come and take part in this second open house. The public feedback we receive is integral to the success of each trail expansion project and aids us in accomplishing our mission at the District.”

 

The open house will offer residents the chance to review existing trails, learn the goals of the Western Greenway and provide project feedback. Information highlighting the role of trails in Wildwood’s past will be available. Participants will also get to view current and future plans about how The District, in partnership with the City of Wildwood, Missouri State Parks, the Missouri Department of Conservation, St. Louis County Department of Parks and local residents, is working to expand its trail system in West St. Louis County and improve quality of life of residents throughout the region.

For those who are unable to attend the open house, the District has also created an online survey at TheWesternGreenway.org, where residents will be able to provide feedback until Sept. 15.

 

 

About Great Rivers Greenway:

The Great Rivers Greenway District was created by a vote of the people in 2000 with the goal of making the St. Louis region a better place to live. The public organization is carrying this goal by creating community connections with the River Ring, an interconnected system of trails and greenways. The District also works to provide transportation alternatives, preserve nature, improve health and increase the economic vitality of the region. Great Rivers Greenway’s district includes St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. For more information, visit www.greatriversgreenway.org.






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