Thank you for joining us on this exciting occasion as we celebrate our connection to one of the most ambitious outdoor recreation projects in the history of our great state — The Iron Belle Trail.

The trail, once fully completed, will connect Michigan from the natural beautiful of the Upper Peninsula to the urban shores of Belle Isle in Detroit, by way of Grand Blanc Township. This connection represents years of planning and collaboration, which will culminate in a trail that covers over 2,000 miles – and we are nearly three-quarters of the way there! 

Our connection to the Iron Belle Trail is another public asset, among many in our county, that make this a great place to live, work and raise a family. Genesee County, alongside our township partners, is proud to have secured over $4 million in federal, state and local funding for phases 1-2 of this project. This investment is another example, among many, of our commitment to supporting healthy, safe and livable communities across the county. By this time next year, over 19 miles of non-motorized trails will have been constructed since the development of Genesee County’s Regional Trail Plan.

While we are all here together, let us take this time to show our appreciation to everyone who played a role in reaching this milestone on the Trail’s race to 2,000 miles. On behalf of the residents of District 5 and Grand Blanc Township, I want to extend our profound appreciation to everyone involved in this project. 

As we look to the future, let’s continue to support initiatives like this one that promote Genesee County as a destination for outdoor recreation.

Together, we are making history. We are paving the way for future generations to stay connected to each other and to enjoy everything we have to offer here and across the state.