William Field Hart-Montague Trail Maintenance Fund
Fund Type
Donor Advised
Donor Advised
Established
08/23/2018
08/23/2018
Purpose
Established to support the maintenance of the William Field Hart-Montague Rail Trail.
Established to support the maintenance of the William Field Hart-Montague Rail Trail.
Story
The William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail was constructed on former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad property and is one of the first linear trails established in Michigan. The Trail was a dream of local businessman William Field who acquired the abandoned railroad property in the early 1980s and conveyed the property to the City of Hart in 1984. Hart and other agencies cooperated with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources which acquired the property and constructed the trail later dedicated in 1989. The 22-mile Trail links the communities of Hart, Mears, Shelby, New Era, Rothbury, and Montague and many businesses along the way to establish a very successful recreational and economic development corridor. 25 years later the Trail was reconstructed for $4.4 million to improve the failing riding surface and to meet modern trail safety standards including 10-foot width, 2-foot clear shoulders and way-finding. At the conclusion of the reconstruction project, the remaining local campaign match dollars were designated to establish this maintenance fund.
The William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail was constructed on former Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad property and is one of the first linear trails established in Michigan. The Trail was a dream of local businessman William Field who acquired the abandoned railroad property in the early 1980s and conveyed the property to the City of Hart in 1984. Hart and other agencies cooperated with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources which acquired the property and constructed the trail later dedicated in 1989. The 22-mile Trail links the communities of Hart, Mears, Shelby, New Era, Rothbury, and Montague and many businesses along the way to establish a very successful recreational and economic development corridor. 25 years later the Trail was reconstructed for $4.4 million to improve the failing riding surface and to meet modern trail safety standards including 10-foot width, 2-foot clear shoulders and way-finding. At the conclusion of the reconstruction project, the remaining local campaign match dollars were designated to establish this maintenance fund.