City of Lansing receives Wellmark Foundation MATCH Grant
Park & Recreation project benefiting from the funding is designed to improve safety, usability, health benefits of Mt. Hosmer trail system
The City of Lansing and the Lansing Park and Recreation Board announce the awarding of a Wellmark Foundation Grant to be used in mapping and marking the trails that emanate from the Mt. Hosmer Park at the north end of 6th Street North. The $25,000 Matching Assets to Community Health (MATCH) grant will benefit the Lansing Trails Expansion & Promotion Project, one of 29 initiatives to receive this year’s funding.
“We are grateful that the Wellmark Foundation sees the value in formally mapping this treasured trail system and helping us make the trails more discoverable and usable, as well as safe, for both residents and visitors,” said Maryann Baldwin, Lansing Parks Board Chair.
PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIA RC&D
The project will be enabled by resources provided by Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development (NEIA RC&D). The 501c3 non-profit organization will provide expertise, services and technology that will allow for Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of the trails, development of formal trail system maps, map kiosks and wayfinding signage. The RC&D recently provided similar services to the 25 miles of soft trails located in the Decorah Park system.
“We enjoy working with project partners to explore natural resource-based economic development opportunities,” said Josh Dansdill, Business Development Projects Director with RC&D, “while at the same time enhancing our abundance of natural resources that, in addition, provide a quality place to live.”
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY E-911 BOARD PARTICIPATION
This project will also benefit the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department in their efforts to maintain a detailed understanding of area terrain to enable potential rescue efforts. While mishaps are rare, in the event of a search and/or rescue event, the detailed satellite-sourced mapping will allow for efficient access to this densely wooded area. The Allamakee County E-911 Board will be contributing $1,000 in funds to help cover the matching portion of the grant.
SCENIC BYWAYS CONTRIBUTION
The trail mapping project will dovetail nicely with an existing effort to add wayfinding map kiosks to the Main Street Lansing kiosks currently in development through the Main Street Lansing organization. These maps will include both information on where to find trails in the Lansing area, as well as a display of the detailed Mt. Hosmer trail system.
“One of the main reasons we began our kiosk project was to draw more attention to Mt. Hosmer. Currently, there is no indication downtown that the park and hiking network exists, and the only signage elsewhere consists of a couple of drab brown signs that simply state the name of the park,” shared Andy Kelleher, Executive Director of Main Street Lansing. “Without a tip from a local, visitors have no way of knowing about the incredible views and trails that are minutes from downtown. We are glad that an updated map will be available for display so that anybody exploring Lansing can discover the beauty of Mt. Hosmer.”
MT. HOSMER TRAIL SYSTEM RICH IN VOLUNTEERISM
The trail system surrounding the park at the top of Mt. Hosmer has enjoyed a history of volunteer efforts to develop, mark and maintain a series of trails that serve a variety of abilities. The roughly eight miles of trails are used by both hikers and mountain bikers nearly year-round.
Trail volunteer Bruce Carlson adds, “Seeing people connect with nature through hiking our trails is such a joy for me. It makes the many hours of trail maintenance worth it. So many people are walking in town, up to the top of Mt. Hosmer on the road. I am hoping this project will make our trails more accessible, helping hikers to expand their horizons, allowing nature to creep into their spirit.”
Founder of Walking Space, a local organization providing wellness-centered walking events, Andrew Boddicker describes how this project will benefit participants in his future hikes. Walking Space holds single and multi-day walking events in the Driftless area that include meditative, yoga and digital detox benefits.
“The trail system in and around Lansing is full of opportunities to reconnect and rejuvenate the mind and spirit,” Boddicker said. “Creating greater awareness and access to these trails for our residents and visitors will open doors for many who were reluctant to wander.”
ABOUT WELLMARK FOUNDATION
The mission of The Wellmark Foundation is to fund initiatives that positively impact the well-being of residents in the states of Iowa and South Dakota. Funding supports community-based wellness and prevention initiatives focusing on safe and healthy environments in which to be active, and access to and consumption of healthy foods where those residents live, work, learn and play. The Wellmark Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created in 1991 by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. The Wellmark Foundation has provided millions of dollars in grant funding to projects and initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles across the states of Iowa and South Dakota for the past decade.
“The Wellmark Foundation Small MATCH grant winners are truly being creative in how each is promoting health in their communities,” said Mary Lawyer, The Wellmark Foundation executive director. “From new swimming pools to trail enhancements to greenhouses and backyard garden creation, these projects will impact the quality of life and the overall well-being of Iowans for generations to come.”
