CVB to manage People Pathways

Monday, December 28, 2020
A family returns from a walk on the Putnam Nature Trail, part of the People Pathways system. Under a new arrangement agreed upon this month, the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau will assume program, expansion and management oversight of the Pathways.
Courtesy photo

Walking/biking trails in Putnam County will go more places and offer more recreational opportunities if People Pathways and the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) get their New Year’s wish.

The two organizations announced a merger of sorts following board meetings last week.

For 25 years, People Pathways has operated as a volunteer organization, creating and expanding a nearly 20-mile “linear park” in Putnam County. New officers elected at the year-end Pathways meeting include Allison Leer, president; Kim Brattain, vice president; Drew Brattain, treasurer; and Eric Freeman, secretary.

In January, the CVB will assume program, expansion and management oversight for the trail, though not ownership.

The Pathways committee becomes an advisory board that will later develop into the Putnam County Parks Foundation, a non-profit that will be designed to help fund trail expansion and programming and likely will involve inclusion of Putnam County’s nine historic covered bridges.

Joy Marley, now board chairman emeritus of the Pathways committee, expressed her excitement at the new arrangement.

“In 25 years, this volunteer group has enjoyed working with public/private partners countywide to create our community’s multi-use trail, our ‘linear park,’” Marley said. “Joining with the CVB recognizes what has been accomplished and provides a resource to accomplish more. We’re all very excited about this partnership and the five-year vision, and I look forward to seeing everyone on the trail.”

The CVB represents Putnam County on the West Central Indiana Economic Development District’s regional trail development initiative, which intends to build and connect trails in Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties.

The Pathways/CVB plan also intends to connect Putnam County’s nature preserves and tourism assets, encouraging residents and visitors to make greater use of them through programming such as bird watching, stargazing, biking, hiking/running, art and food events and more along People Pathways.

“When the CVB helped fund the Putnam Nature Trail in 2018, it realized the value and potential of People Pathways for the community and visitors,” CVB Board President Page Cotton said. “From tourism and economic development perspectives, we all realized we could do much more. The 17-member Pathways committee includes runners and bikers, nature enthusiasts, city and county officials, educators, artists and businesspeople wanting to improve and expand the system for local use. As we accomplish that for ourselves, the trails become more attractive to visitors, supporting the CVB’s mission of promoting Putnam County as a great place to visit.”

People Pathways is part of the National Road Heritage Trail (NRHT), Indiana’s first cross-state, multi-use trail, envisioned to stretch 150 miles from Terre Haute to Richmond using the former Pennsylvania and Vandalia rail corridors, where possible, and closely following the Historic National Road for much of its route. It eventually will extend across all of Putnam County.

People Pathways’ 17.3-mile stretch is particularly ideal as the pandemic continues, for exercise, family outings and the enjoyment of nature.

Both People Pathways and the CVB believe the costs of land acquisition, construction and maintenance are far outweighed by the economic benefits to the community.

Economic impact studies cite trails as increasing the value of nearby properties and boosting spending at local businesses. Communities along trails, often called trail towns, benefit from the influx of visitors at restaurants and retailers. On longer trails, hotels, bed and breakfasts and outdoor outfitters benefit.

Homebuyers looking to move rank walking and biking paths as one of the most important features of a new community.

Businesses looking to expand or relocate favor trail communities because of amenities they offer to employees and opportunities they offer to cater to visitors.

Trails through natural areas reveal the beauty of our rural community and educate about the important role of Putnam County farmers.

Trails reduce medical costs by encouraging exercise and outdoor activities, and they revitalize and “activate” depressed areas by creating reasons to engage with them.

Nearly half of all car trips are less than three miles and more than a quarter are one mile or less. Trails provide transportation options, cut fuel expenses and offer reliable avenues of transportation for short-distance trips.

They provide low or no-cost recreation to families, increase a community’s tax revenues and represent a huge economic return on the money invested.

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  • Joy Marley and the many volunteers of People Pathways have done a marvelous job of bringing the trail from an idea to reality. The move to transfer programming, expansion and management oversight to the CVB is a logical next step to assure the trails receive the attention needed to maintain them for many years to come. It will be necessary for the CVB to begin building a reserve for maintenance costs that will begin to increase as the trails increase in age. As with any physical asset that must endure the effects of the weather, the trails will not remain in top condition without regular maintenance. Congratulations to all that have been involved in this decision.

    -- Posted by rawinger on Tue, Dec 29, 2020, at 7:29 AM
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