A newly constructed section of recreational trail was conveyed to the City of Atlantic Park and Recreation Department and Atlantic Municipal Utilities at the regular meetings of both Boards Monday evening. Dave Chase and Rollie Landsness, officers of Nishna Valley Trails, Inc. (NVT), presented each Board with a “Dedication and Assignment” transferring all rights of that organization to the Troublesome Creek-AMU Wellhead Site Connector Trail located adjacent to the Atlantic Little League Complex. NVT raised the $138,000 for the project through donations and grants. With the cooperation and input of the Parks Department and AMU it coordinated the design of the trail by Snyder and Associates of Atlantic. Construction of the concrete trail project which was completed this fall.
“All of the bills have now been paid and we thought it appropriate to dedicate this trail section to the Public to add to our community trail system,” said Chase. The Park and Recreation Department and AMU will maintain the trail on each of their respective properties.
“By completing this connection we now have approximately 6 miles of connected hard-surfaced recreational trail in the north part of our community,” added Chase. “This project ties into the Schildberg Quarry trail system on the west and the AMU Wellhead trail system on the east.
The written Dedications presented to each Board stated, in part: “This dedication is made in furtherance of the mission of Nishna Valley Trails, Inc. to develop and promote recreational trails in Atlantic and the surrounding area as healthful options to the recreational opportunities available at no cost to the citizens of and visitors to Cass County.”
Chase went on to say that this coming year NVT hopes to add an informational gazebo that will act as a trailhead, a shelter and a place where trail users can get maps and information about the community, its businesses and services available. “Funds have already been given towards this gazebo project by the Atlantic CPC, organizations and individuals, including memorials from estates.”
“This is another example of the public-private partnerships that have be recently forged to fund and carry out projects such as this for the betterment of the community,” Chase said. “We look forward to continuing to foster this cooperation as we look toward the further implementation of the Atlantic Recreation Trail Comprehensive Plan adopted by the City in 2015.” This plan provides for safe routes for pedestrians, cyclists and health enthusiasts within Atlantic. The plan calls for using such inexpensive methods as painted pedestrian/bike lanes, signage and the further development of connections of existing trails. He went on to explain that those routes and methods are being further identified and supplemented by a recent “Walking Audit” of Atlantic conducted by the WellMark Foundation and sponsored by Cass County Public Health.