$30,000 Matching Grant Boosts Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail

In a major boost to the Boyne City to Charlevoix (BC2CVX) Trail project, organizers recently announced a $30,000 matching grant from John and Diane Harris of Petoskey. The couple pledged the money on the condition that the Top of Michigan Trails Council (TOMTC) and the Charlevoix County Trail Team raise the matching $30,000.

The Trails Council and Trail Team volunteers are working to connect the last six miles of trail between Charlevoix and Horton Bay.

“We appreciate the opportunity to financially support our local trails because they provide people the opportunity to recreate in the beautiful Northern Michigan outdoors,” the Harrises said. “We know it allows visitors to enjoy our piece of paradise, helps trail users stay physically fit, and even helps the environment by providing an alternative to commuting by car.”

The couple is also a principal underwriter of TOMTC’s Kids Pedaling with a Purpose program, directed by Cindy Okerlund.

BC2CVX project leaders Bob McLain and Steve Van Dam said this $30k fundraising push is an essential part of its $290,000 overall goal. If successful, the match campaign would yield $60,000, or 25 percent of the engineering and surveying costs.

“By matching the $30k we will be able to continue working toward finishing the survey and starting the engineering process,” McLain said.

“And when we meet the match,” Van Dam interjected, “we will be more than halfway to our goal. We are well on our way to finishing the trail!” The Trail Team has already raised $100,000 in the last year.

Van Dam said starting today, all donations to the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail project will be applied to the $30,000 match.

After achieving a $50,000 fundraising goal earlier this year, the trail team hired Gaylord engineering firm Wade Trim Inc. to begin initial surveying and grant research work.

Trail advocates initially envisioned a two-phase engineering/construction project for the trail’s last six miles. But organizers combined them to cut engineering costs. Construction may still occur in two phases, according to Van Dam.

The final phase(s) will link Boyne City and Charlevoix, as well as connect to both the Boyne Valley Trailway and Little Traverse Wheelway, finally completing this path initiated over 10 years ago.

Trail building is a slow and expensive process. This trail has been in the works since Phase 1, a 3.2-mile stretch from Boyne City to N. Springwater Beach Road, was completed in 2016 for $1,182,566. Phase 2 cost $1,323,950 and was completed in 2017. It includes 2.97 trail miles from Charlevoix to Quarterline Road. Phase 3’s 2.86 miles was completed last year, costing $1,648,569. That section extends from N. Springwater Beach Road to Horton Bay.

While local governments and trail teams are responsible for engineering costs and design work, the trail construction costs are received through grants from MDOT and the DNR. Private donations and local and state grants have financed 93 percent of the entire project, while Charlevoix County has invested about $282,000 so far, according to Van Dam.

To contribute to this exciting match opportunity and support the completion of the final six miles of the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail, donate to the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail.