Oct. 3, 2013 (St. Louis) – The Great Rivers Greenway District is pleased to announce that it will host an open house Oct. 15 to discuss the expansion of Grant’s Trail on the Gravois Greenway. The open house will feature plans to extend the popular trail, connecting it to the River des Peres Greenway. The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Orlando’s Event Center, located at 4300 Hoffmeister Avenue in Lemay.
Ensuring that people have a voice in greenway projects is essential to the success of the District. The first open house for this important project was held in November 2012 to gather feedback on the plan concept and the potential alignment for the proposed connection. The second open house will provide plan updates to those in attendance and will serve as an opportunity for those who utilize the trails and have a vested interest in the outcome of this expansion to provide their feedback. The feedback received will be reviewed and taken into consideration by Great Rivers Greenway, as the organization works to improve the qualify of life for the region, through projects like this.
The proposed plan would extend Grant’s Trail, the bicycle and pedestrian “superhighway” of the St. Louis region, to a total of 10 miles, and provide connection to River des Peres Greenway. The extension would begin on the south end of Grant’s Trail, near I-55 and Union Road, and would connect cyclists and other Grant’s Trail users from Kirkwood to Lemay. The connection to the River des Peres Greenway would create total through connectivity of more than 16 miles, and may include potential amenities and improvements such as a sculpture park, meadow restoration, and a floodplain park. Construction of the two-mile extension is slated to begin in early 2015.
“Grant’s Trail serves more than 761,000 people each year – and that number has grown steadily over the years,” said Susan Trautman, Executive Director for Great Rivers Greenway. “It has truly become a beloved regional destination. We are thrilled to be working to make the connection between Grant’s Trail and the River des Peres. Moving forward with this project will not only improve the quality of life for the people near the trail, but it will also improve the quality of the trail experience for everyone using that trail. We are thankful to have the opportunity to reach out to the public for their partnership in moving this plan forward.”
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.
For more information, contact:
Pamela Powell, The Hauser Group. (314)436-9090
Danni Eickenhorst, Great Rivers Greenway. (314)932-4910