Happy Trails to You

Rock Run Creek Trail Opens in Iowa Falls

BY SARA KONRAD BARANOWSKI

12/3/11

From the beginning it’s been about the kids.

Even five years ago, when trails planners didn’t know where the trails would be or how they would be funded, they knew they wanted it to be about the kids. Wednesday afternoon, as the Hardin County Recreational Trails Committee opened the first section of trails in Iowa Falls, it was still all about the kids. Throngs of children jumped up and down and, later, sang “Happy Trails” during a brief ceremony in the parking lot at Rock Run Elementary School. “Our first priority was focusing on kids,” said committee member and Riverbend Middle School Principal Jeff Burchfield. “We envisioned and had this whole [opening ceremony] planned out.” The first section of trail — Rock Run Creek Trail — is just less than one mile in length and stands as a testament to the dedication of local volunteers. Trails have been a topic of discussion in Iowa Falls for upwards of 30 years, but about five years ago a committee formed and work began on making those discussions a reality.

The Hardin County Recreational Trails Committee created a map of trails it wanted to build in Iowa Falls and began work. The first two phases — beginning behind Ellsworth Municipal Hospital, near the Meyer Municipal Aquatic Center and ending at Rock Run Elementary School — were combined into one project and ground was broken earlier this year.

The first phase, especially, has been focused on providing a safe path for the town’s youth. Many areas on the northeast side of town lack sidewalks and young children were walking on streets and crossing a dangerous intersection on Highway 65 on their way to and from Rock Run School. Now, thanks to the trail and a flashing pedestrian crosswalk, their travel has been made safer.

That safety was emphasized in posters and essays drawn and written by Rock Run students to commemorate the opening. Winners were announced at the opening. The winning essays were written by Allie Ford, Noelle Katschke and Mikaylan Winters. The winning posters were drawn by Molly Cooney, Francisco Alejo and Julie Weidemann’s third-grade class.

Winters, a third-grader, said she was surprised to win for her essay, which touched on the reasons she’s thankful for trails.

“People on sidewalks can’t go where trails can lead them,” said Winters, who had never been on a trail before Wednesday. “This is really exciting.”

Burchfield said in addition to added safety, the trail will give the public a chance to explore a previously inaccessible area of town.

“The area by Rock Run Creek Trails, unless you purposefully tried to brave the elements and walk down in that area, for a lot of people they wouldn’t go down there otherwise,” he said. “So now it’s going to be a regular trafficked area and there’s beautiful scenery in that area.”

There is still some work to be done on the Rock Run Creek Trail to finish it. Next summer three bridges will be installed.

The committee isn’t wasting any time patting itself on the back. Just last month the Iowa Falls City Council hired WHKS & Co. to begin engineering a trail that will begin at the city’s skate park on South River Street and continue to the rugby fields on Georgetown Road. Planning and fundraising are also under way on other sections of the trail.

For more information about the work being done by the Hardin County Recreational Trails Committee, visit its Web site at www. hardincountytrails.org.

Reporter Laura Smith contributed to this story.

Hardin County Recreational Trails Committee Chair Cindy Goodner, surrounded by Rock Run Elementary School students, takes the first steps on the new Rock Run Creek Trail Wednesday.

For more information, contact Sara Conrad skonrad@iafalls.com at Times Citizen