[0:09] [Music] [0:18] **Joe Wicklund**: our story today is like a trail it has a trail head it starts really with an idea it continues down the path that we have today and most importantly it looks ahead to what's possible hi my name is joe wicklund communications director for the city of hermantown and i want to walk you through the story of the hermantown connector trail system [Music] our trail begins in st louis county minnesota one of the largest counties in the united states of america and three communities situated on the far western tip of lake superior to tell us more about the idea and time [1:04] **Joe Wicklund**: and beginnings of the hermanntown connector trail system let's hear from eric johnson the community development director for the city of hermantown [1:11] **Eric Johnson**: 2013 14 the city started thinking about a connector trail system that could link the communities of hermanntown proctor in duluth the purpose of which is to provide a connection from bourbon town all the way down to the munger trail in duluth and that connection would be a paved non-motorized accessible trail stretching from the northern edge of hermantown to its southern border into [1:51] **Joe Wicklund**: neighboring proctor and of course down to the world class willard munger trail really whether hiking biking strolling being pushed in a stroller you could touch key parts of hermantown cut through proctor and all the way through minnesota by the munger trail and it would be maintained and opened 365 days a year no small task here in northern minnesota [2:24] **Joe Wicklund**: in fact let's fast forward from idea to today where the first section of the hermanntown connector trail system is completed let's head out to the boulder trail and enjoy it during those winter months [2:33] **Unknown Speaker**: this trail has been just wonderful i've met families on the trail the children are on skateboards or on roller blades and mom and dad are walking along and people are taking advantage of being able to be outside fresh air and no traffic in addition to being safe and well kept we often see animals along the way don't forget the wild turkeys and yes we we've seen wild turkeys quite a flock [3:10] **Joe Wicklund**: to learn more about the boulder trail let's check back in with eric johnson [Music] [3:14] **Eric Johnson**: the boulder trail in a way consists of three different elements or three different trail segments uh the city worked with saint louis county uh back in 2018 2019 for the paving of the right-of-way associated with work with maple grove road st louis county long-standing partnership with the city basically they paved about a quarter mile of once again right away area a 10 foot wide path going from stepner road to our park at stepner park the city was able to obtain a grant a community development block grant [3:57] **Eric Johnson**: through st louis county that was the creation of the next trail segment it's approximately 900 feet which goes through stepner park the whole purpose of at least that trail segment was to provide ada accessibility for people going to the park there had never been any way for people to get from the parking lot to the fields area so that trail serves two purposes it allows people to basically go through our park and still access the trails in a more safe manner but it also uh provides that next walking segment biking segment for the city uh the big portion of our chrome or our crown jewel so far is basically that boulder trail the um that was through a couple different uh [4:43] **Eric Johnson**: processes and funding sources uh the city obtained a greater minnesota regional parks and trails commission grant it's basically from minnesota legacy dollars for and twenty thousand dollars uh that happened in eighteen the contract was finalized in nineteen so that work um was envisioned to connect stubner park all the way down eventually to keene creek park the trade the city was able to build two segments associated with that uh through combinations of these this funding grant that we had as well as a city project with our sanitary sewer work so the city was able to construct [5:28] **Eric Johnson**: about two miles with the trails once again going from stepner park also connecting over to the hermitage marketplace with the southern terminus being at hermantone road [Music] [5:37] **Joe Wicklund**: today here in the summer of 2022 we have the boulder trail a significant section of the hermanntown connector trail system completed as well as a portion of a more southerly section going into keen creek park now let's look forward how does the hermantown connector trail system become complete both across hermantown and beyond that answer depends on funding and voting let's hear from eric how the trail system has been funded thus far [6:16] **Eric Johnson**: to date the city's constructed one over two miles of trails and the beauty of that is is none of that monies associated that was associated with with property taxes uh it all came through uh utility work that the city was doing or grant opportunities so far the city is probably paying for two to two and a half million dollars with trails and it's not on property taxes at all it's been done through our utility programs as well as through the grant opportunities that the city's been able to obtain [6:52] **Joe Wicklund**: while one significant grant brought the boulder trail to life there are many communities competing annually for limited grant dollars which is where voting comes into play both in hermantown and proctor in november of 2022 voters in both communities will have the chance to decide to fund the trail system much more quickly and fully using local sales tax and while there certainly will be planning and construction time the hermantown connector trail system once just an idea will be close to being complete along with the current boulder trail and small section in king creek park should voters approve the local sales tax [7:38] **Joe Wicklund**: option the remaining sections of the trail will be a reality [Music] [7:41] **Eric Johnson**: really the beauty of this of these four different trail segments is you see so many different things throughout the city you'll see your neighbors uh as you're walking along you'll see different woods and wetlands associated with our city that people really know us for and then you'll be able to see uh some of our other gyms that we have the wellness center the schools and the hermantown marketplace so the really nice thing is is you could be living at one of these trail segments and you could walk to one of our retailers grab grab dinner grab an ice cream cone and really for the most part only have to cross one or two roadways [8:24] **Eric Johnson**: for the most part so it's it serves a number of purposes not only a recreational but also a way for people to potentially commute and hopefully even get to school someday as well so the hope is that we get people more out in the public have a chance to interact with their neighbors and really experience the great things that the city has to offer [8:54] **Joe Wicklund**: you