Renovations may soon be coming to the 6.5 mile bike trail through the forested slopes near Maskenthine Lake. The news came after a presentation detailing proposed grant-funded improvements to the trail at the beginning of the monthly Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District subcommittee meeting on Thursday.
Rhonda Wright, a Stanton-based bike enthusiast, made the case for the necessity of the additions, including revitalization of forested areas, a makeover to the trail kiosk, improvements to the trailhead and reconstruction of a half-mile or so of trail wiped out by a tornado. She even invited members of the board to join her on a tour of the trail. The improvements, with a bill of $79,270, would be funded through a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission grant that would reimburse 80% of the cost to the district according to LENRD grant coordinator Julie Wragge, bringing the local cost down to just under $16,000.
In a follow-up with the Daily News, Wragge said the district’s final request to the board would likely be closer to $50,000, in line with a proposal last year that was never officially submitted and lacked a formal presentation. Wragge said the application for the grant, which requires approval of a resolution by the board in favor of the project, would be due by September. Wright is part of a group of volunteers that help to maintain the trail which has weathered a slew of harsh conditions over the past few years beyond the tornado, including drought, pine needle bli.