Cary Parker, a local businessman and long-time supporter of the Rock Island Trail, addressed the Board of Aldermen in a workshop last Thursday prior to a regular meeting.

Parker told the board he and Friends of Rock Island Trail State Park, a non-profit group, were prepared to transfer $23,000 to the city’s coffers to fund most of the cost of building the trail through Gerald. These funds will cover hiring a bulldozer and operator, buying diesel to run the heavy equipment to be provided by the city, the purchase of rock and will cover some of the cost of hauling the rock. Woody Bogler Trucking has generously offered a significantly lowered price to haul the rock. The rest of the cost will be offset by the money donated by Parker’s group. The Missouri State Parks will provide the signage necessary for the trail.

This leaves the city responsible only for providing some equipment for the project and using two men from the public works department to use that equipment for about one week.

The funds provided to the city will also cover some miscellaneous concrete work, hardware and other minor necessities.

The city successfully applied for a $10,000 grant that can be used for safe crossings, bollards and other projects associated with accessing the trail. That grant money cannot be used in actually building the trail.

Later in their regular meeting, the board unanimously approved the plan and agreed to move forward with building the trail from Main Street west to the city limits. It was noted that surveys conducted by the city show 81 percent support in building the trail in Gerald.

It is widely expected this to be the first section of trail built in the new Rock Island Trail State Park.