The City of Mount Vernon has approved a $40,000 trail project to be completed in conjunction with the Mount Vernon Schools activities complex.
The trail would run along the west boundary of the activities complex and along the border with the Stonebrook neighborhood. The system would also tie into the trail system at Lester Buresh Community Wellness Center, as well as expand the trail system closer to Cornell College.
Mount Vernon Schools superintendent Greg Batenhorst noted Mount Vernon is a highly active community, and that this trail system advances connections to the trail systems at the schools complex.
“If the activities complex at the school moves forward, this trail is also important, as it gives a connection to the outdoor track,” Batenhorst said. “We want members of the community to feel free to use the track for laps or run the bleacher stairs if the facility is not in use, as this is a community resource.”
The $40,000 would help pay for the lighting that would line the trail and be a one-time expense for the city.
The school would be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the trail system.
Council member Paul Tuerler said he was in favor of supporting lighting for the trail project, as it was a shovel ready project that would serve the community and benefit one of the city’s community partners, and supported at the $30,000 price tag originally.
“I think $30,000 invested in this project today is a benefit to the city, compared to what may get accomplished in the future,” Tuerler said.
Parks and recreation director Matt Siders noted this stretch of trail was already identified on the master trails plan for the city. Siders also noted this was a proposed trail and connection for the city he put forward more than seven years ago, but at the time the council felt the connection with sidewalk in that area was close enough.
Concerns were brought up about how this might impact the cross country route run at Mount Vernon Schools, and Batenhorst said the school is looking to keep enough grass and green space to allow that route to remain usable by runners.
Another concern was on the lighting for the trail system, which would be similar to lighting at Lester Buresh Center portions of the trail and how that may impact neighbors.
Batenhorst said the school has been open about the possibility of the trail being lighted in communications with neighbors in the Stonebrook addition.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon police chief and Stonebrook resident Doug Shannon said that lighting for the trail system was important.
“The lights are visible on those trails, but they don’t impede too much on neighbors,” Shannon said. “The much larger issue is the lighting is needed to provide public safety along those trails. The trails in this community are used at all times of day and night, and I’m an advocate for public safety of having these lights, especially on areas that are more remote.”
The school was looking for anywhere between one-third of the cost and one-half of the cost.
Council member Debra Herrmann moved to approve one-half of the cost, estimated at roughly $40,000, with the district covering the other half of the project.