Community Celebrates New Trail in St. Charles

Community members gathered on Friday for the grand opening of the new section of the Boschert Greenway trail which runs between New Town and Frenchtown. 

See more photos from the grand opening on our Facebook page.

The entire route now provides riders and runners with 10 miles of trail throughout the area, said Mayor Sally Faith. 

Susan Trautman, director of Great Rivers Greenway, said she's excited to make a major connection along the Boschert Greenway.

"What is unique about this project is the living wall. We're working really hard to develop sites that are sustainable and good for the environment," she said. 

Executive Steve Ehlmann challenged governments and community leaders to make sure bike paths are a part of a road projects going forward, pointing out that this path could have been built more cheaply if it had been built when Highway 370 was built. 

He also challenged attendees to use the path and pointed out the irony in having golf carts that carried people from the parking area to the site for the ribbon cutting. 

"This is a great trail but if nobody uses it, it's a waste of money," he said "We've got beautiful gymansiums at all of our schools but we do have a problem with childhood obesity."

Charlene McMenamy, who lives in St. Charles, was biking along the new trail justa fter the ceremony finished. She admired the sculpture, called Blomstre, which was installed just a few days ago. 

"I like the trail," she said. "It's just too short."