Wednesday, September 16, 7 p.m.
At the Center for Town/Craft
1124 Willis Avenue
Perry, IA

A free program with presentations and discussion by leaders of the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association, including the trail managers and conservation directors Mike Wallace of Dallas County, Joe Hanner of Guthrie County and Dan Towers of Greene County.

The 56-mile-long hard-surfaced recreational trail crosses three counties and nine communities in west central Iowa, and connects to the trail system throughout metro Des Moines. A 33-mile "North Loop" addition to the trail is under construction now, and will soon bring the trail's total miles to 89 – making it one of the longest hard-surfaced rec trails in the nation. It will then cross four counties and 15 communities.

The RRVT is already recognized as "becoming one of the best recreational trails in America," and in its 20 years has inspired all kinds of business and tourism development. In its 56-mile-long years, its infrastructure value was estimated at $11.2 million. The new "North Loop" will push the value to well over $20 million. Meanwhile, the number of annual trail users is expected to grow from about 125,000 now to three or four times that in the next three to five years!

Learn the trail's railroad heritage, how it became a recreational trail after work was started in the middle 1980s, see historic photos and view dramatic new video on what's happening and what's planned in the near future on this tremendous west central Iowa asset.

This will be a great opportunity to refresh your memories and bring yourself up to date on the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

Admission is free, and free refreshments will be served, too.

This program is being presented as part of Town/Craft's "Living Local" exhibit, which continues through October 26. The exhibit features displays by local businesses, producers and organizations on how the idea of "living local" helps positively impacts the economic sustainability of small communities.

More information: www.raccoonrivervalleytrail.org 515-386-5488
www.design.iastate.edu/TownCraft 515-465-4659