Bike connection talks move forward

“We have progress,” said trustee and Parks & Recreation committee chair Eric Morr after talks continue on moving forward to connect Forsyth’s bike/jogging trails with those of the Decatur Park District. Morr and Mayor Hap Gilbert recently met with a homeowner whose property is near a proposed bike/jogging trail connection extending from the bridge at Hickory Point Road to Oakland Avenue.

The committee seeks to provide a safe crossing over Stevens Creek, winding across Decatur Park District land and ending on Oakland Avenue. Committee members plan to urge trustees to spend $5,000 out of this fiscal year’s budget toward this goal. Morr said this amount “...will probably get us a preliminary drawing,” but he is optimistic that continued conversations with the park district and Decatur will bring desired results.

In other committee news, members tabled a task plan and space needs estimate for a community center in the proposed Prairie Winds subdivision on the Village’s east side. Morr had suggested hiring an architect to determine these needs. “We have $200,000 in the budget,” he said, “...we can move quite a bit of dirt around with that [amount].”