Banks' generosity aids trail

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This article first appeared in INHF's Winter 2006 magazine.

Trail advocates in eastern Iowa are celebrating the generosity of three area banks. Central State Bank in Muscatine, Community National Bank in Columbus Junction and US Bank in West Branch have made a significant contribution to future trails by forgiving the loan debt on the Hoover Nature Trail (HNT).

Sarah Lande, an INHF board member and Muscatine resident, responds, “We herald the banks’ contribution to encouraging the continued development of trails around our community and linking these trails to state and nationwide trail systems.”

Hoover Nature Trail is an ambitious project to create a 115-mile trail from Cedar Rapids to Muscatine and Burlington. It is part of the Iowa route of the transcontinental American Discovery Trail from California to Delaware.

The project was started in 1988 by Hoover Nature Trail, Inc., a non-profit organization formed by volunteers from communities along the proposed route. After construction of about 24 miles of trail in several segments, the project slowly came to a halt because of their inability to repay bank loans borrowed to assist with trail construction and match state grants.

Thanks to the lien release, the completed HNT segments are now owned by the following agencies: Louisa County Conservation Board, Cedar County Conservation Board, City of West Branch, Linn County Trails Association and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

With debt forgiven, the liens released and new owners in place, construction of Hoover Nature Trail segments will be advanced. Segments near Cedar Rapids are planned for development in the near future.

For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.