The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has announced that the 42-mile rail corridor from Ionia to Owosso, acquired by the state of Michigan in 2007, will be named in honor of Fred Meijer in perpetuity. The decision was made at the Dec. 9 Natural Resources Commission meeting to recognize Fred Meijer’s leadership, commitment and generous philanthropy for Michigan rail-trails.
The Meijer Foundation has approved the establishment of a $3 million endowment that will provide sustainable funding for routine management and maintenance for this segment of trail, as well as an additional 80-plus miles of trail that will make up the Mid-west Michigan Trail Network. The trails that will benefit from the endowment funding include the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail from Alma to Greenville, the Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail-Trail from Ionia to Lowell, and the Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail-Trail from Greenville to Lowell.
The Friends of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail (Friends) acquired the Fred Meijer Flat River Valley Rail-Trail in September 2010. The Friends have offered the 21.88 miles as a gift of land to the DNRE, of which was accepted with appreciation at the Natural Resources Commission meeting.
The Meijer Foundation has provided valuable acquisition and development funding for the 125-mile trail network. The establishment of the endowment is precedent-setting and helps to advance the public private rail-trail model that the DNRE Forest Management Division has been building for state rail-trails and their sustainable future.