With snow melting going on this week, lots of residents hoping for an early spring just might be turning their attention back to the Kickapoo Rail Trail project. Vermilion County Conservation District Executive Director Jamie Pasquale says with not all of the $11.2 million needed for the project coming in as quickly as hoped, the name of the game in 2026 will be for all three entities involved; the Conservation District, the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, and the Urbana Park District; to agree on the parts that need to be prioritized at this time. And who knows, maybe a surprise big time donation will come along this year.
Vermilion County Conservation District Executive Director Jamie Pasquale
AUDIO: Right now, we’re focusing on finishing primarily the sections in Champaign County, which is only about three miles; and then doing the section in Vermilion County from Oakwood, where the trail currently stops, to about Fithian. We feel like, too, that that section of trail in Vermilion County is the most important part to complete, it’ll get more use. We’re still doing fundraising in collaboration with all the agenices. We’re hoping for that one big donation, but we’re getting a lot of good donations.
Another item that came up at the Conservation District’s January 21st meeting was talk about a possible lease, sale, or donation to the Village of Muncie of a section of Conservation District property that used to be railroad property. Pasquale says this is where the softball field is that Oakwood High School used to play on. He says Muncie is looking at a possible repurposing of the field; and that it’s in a side lot along the Kickapoo Rail Trail.
