Parks to get additional trails
Hutsler made the announcement April 24 during the Board of Aldermen meeting.
"There are two trails and both start at Woodlands Sports Park," Hutsler said.The city used a recreational trails grant for construction of a trail around the perimeter of Woodlands Sports Park along a line of trees, Hutsler said.
In November, residents of several subdivisions near the parks were upset about a walking trail that would loop through a proposed park that would connect Woodland Sports Park to Rabbit Run Park in St. Peters, but city officials said there was no need for concern.
Residents from Savannah, Crystal Lake Estates, Country Hill Farm and Country Hill South subdivisions met with Hutsler and Mayor Len Pagano in November to express their desire not to have a walking trail through an 88-acre parcel of farmland once owned by Glenn and Joan Gettemeyer.
Residents said putting the trail in the middle of Rabbit Run Park would disturb the natural habitat for animals living near it.
"We have addressed the residents' concerns, and there will not be a connector loop in Rabbit Run Park," Hutsler said.
The city was planning to use that land for a passive park near Mid Rivers Mall Drive and Willott Road. The site is located southwest of Rabbit Run Park, west of the Savannah subdivision and just north of Dardenne Creek.
Instead, the walking trail will go around the park and have a bridge that would connect Rabbit Run to Woodland Sports Park, Hutsler said.
The proposed trail is part of a set of improvements to the area approved by the Board of Aldermen last August during its annual budget work session.
"I think it would benefit the residents. Just the fact that it would tie into everything and people are trying to go green and get back to nature," said Alderwoman Judy Bateman, Ward 2. "It would be a huge benefit for everyone, not just our ward."
The city also received $2 million from Great Rivers Greenway and a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for construction of trails that would connect all the city's parks.
Hutsler said Great Rivers Greenway and the city is slated to build a 185 foot bridge that would cross over Dardenne Creek. The bridge also will have small culverts, he said.
Great Rivers Greenway is an organization that promotes green space. A greenway is an open space along a natural corridor, such as a stream or river, or a developed corridor, such as railroad right of ways, converted for recreational use.
The Great Rivers Greenway District was established in November 2000 by the passage of the Clean Water, Safe Parks and Community Trails Initiative (Proposition C) in the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. The organization is funded by a one-tenth of one cent sales tax.
According to its Web site, Great Rivers Greenway works for a clean, green, connected St. Louis region. The organization is spearheading is the development of the River Ring, which is an interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails that would encircle the St. Louis region.
"We have 11 miles of city park trails, and this will bring us up to 14," Hutsler said.
The city is planning to build six more miles of trails, three miles to connect to the future Lakeside 370 Park and three more miles within the park, bringing a final total of 20 miles of city park trial, Hutsler said.
The city park trails also would link up to Centennial Trails, which connects the Creve Coeur Park trail to the Katy Trail, he said.
"This allows St. Peters and St. Charles parks to connect to the Katy Trail," Hutsler said.
