David Canny Rountree Branch Trail Project Receives Top Rural Development Initiative Award

Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc., a statewide non-profit corporation has awarded the Moving Platteville Outdoors David Canny Rountree Branch Trail project with one of four statewide honors as a Top Rural Development Initiative for 2017.  The ceremony took place on Thursday, April 20th at the Heidel House Resort and Spa in Green Lake.

The Moving Platteville Outdoors (MPO) David Canny Rountree Branch Trail (RBT) project is a remarkable community collaboration that was led by the Platteville Community Arboretum, Platteville Community Fund, Building Platteville, Inc, and the City of Platteville.  It involved an estimated 1,500 community members.  The initiative has inspired Platteville and can serve as a model for other communities.

The RBT is a pedestrian and bicycle trail that stretches from UW-Platteville to the Platteville-Belmont Trail, paralleling the Rountree Branch stream and Business Hwy 151 for most of its 3-mile length. While the trail has existed in some form since the late 1990s, the trail surface was inconsistent and in poor condition, there were several infrastructure problems that impacted accessibility, and there were gaps in connectivity. The MPO project completed all trail connections, fixed the infrastructure problems, and paved and lighted the entire 3-mile corridor. The project not only built leadership and volunteerism in the community, but it also provides safe, accessible travel to more than 30 businesses, promotes physical activity, increases the value of nearby properties, and increases tourism opportunities.

“Rural Partners received 17 nominations this year for these prestigious awards, and there were many wonderful projects,” said Rural Partners Executive Director Rick Rolfsmeyer. “The four initiatives selected by the judges exemplify the best of all the great things rural Wisconsin has to offer.”

The other awards went to the University of Wisconsin – Extension Community Vitality and Placemaking Team, Scenic Mississippi River Transit (SMRT), and the Village of Sister Bay, Marketplace Redevelopment Project.

The awards ceremony was part of the 2017 Wisconsin Rural Summit, themed “Who is the Future of Rural Wisconsin.”  To learn more about the summit, visit http://wirural.org/summit2017.

Wisconsin Rural Partners is a statewide non-profit organization that develops rural networks and leaders, and provides a voice for rural Wisconsin. WRP is the federally-recognized State Rural Development Council for Wisconsin.

Pictured above (left to right) - Front: State Representative Joan Ballweg; Howard Crofoot, City of Platteville Public Works Director and MPO Steering Committee; Eileen Nickels, City of Platteville Common Council President; Jan Weber, MPO Donor; and Flora Czontos, Office of Senator Tammy Baldwin. Back: Carol Wetuski, WRP President; Joe Nagel, Office of Senator Ron Johnson; Angie Wright, MPO Steering Committee/Grant Writer; Cindy Tang, MPO Steering Committee; Gene Weber, MPO Chair Person; Alex Dallman, Office of Representative Glenn Grothman, and State Representative Romaine Quinn.