City agrees to contribute $1,000 to trails coalition

The Wayland City Council Monday evening voted 6-1 to proceed with making a $1,000 contribution to the West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition’s rails to trails effort on behalf of 20 communities.

The coalition is seeking a match for a Department of Natural Resources grant, instigated by the City of Plainwell, for a feasibility study.

The City of Wayland last April submitted a grant application for $276,000 to the DNR for a 1.2-mile paved trail along the interurban from Dahlia Street on the north to 133^rd Avenue on the south.

Councilwoman Tracy Bivins, who consistently has opposed plans for a paved recreational trail for walkers and bicyclers, cast the only vote against the move. She said it’s her understanding the city cannot make donations to causes.

Councilwoman Jennifer Antel, perhaps the biggest booster of recreational trails, suggested the city make the contribution, but rescind it if the city attorney indicates it would not be permissible.

Bivins lives on West Sycamore Street and the interurban passes just to the south of her property and is near Baker Elementary School. She has maintained that a paved trail could cause safety problems with unwanted trespassers.

However, trail advocates have answered that users of a recreational trail are not likely at all to be unwelcome intruders. They have noted the current gravel and dirt road already is accessible to undesirables and paving it for recreational use would attract a much more benign clientele.

Bivins also has opposed the project by calling it “a trail to nowhere” because Wayland Township on the south and Leighton Township on the north do not have plans to extend the trail in their jurisdictions.

Antel asserted that Wayland Township includes the possibility of a trail in its five-year recreation plan. And now Plainwell is considering adding a trail just to the south as well.