A week after the Marshalltown city council approved moving forward with the creation of a glow trail in the Franklin Field/West End Park area, the school board followed suit and unanimously gave its blessing on the collaborative project as part of the larger improvements currently in progress thanks to the successful Reimagine Miller bond vote last fall.

MCSD Superintendent Theron Schutte explained that the idea arose from conversations with Con-Struct about taking out part of the 13th Street sidewalk on the east side of Franklin Field to better support the new retention walls, and City Public Works Director Heather Thomas asked about whether the district would consider putting in an eight-foot wide path, which the city would continue from Franklin Field through West End Park and connecting Summit Street to Main Street.

Schutte said he initially worried about convincing the board as the project is “already a lot more expensive than what we were banking on when we first started,” but they got a lift from the Community Foundation of Marshall County’s Rebuild Marshalltown fund in the amount of $58,450. As CFMC Executive Director Julie Hitchins noted during a check presentation earlier in the meeting, it is the final grant to be dispersed from the fund, which felt fitting as Franklin Field was directly impacted by the EF-3 tornado on July 19, 2018.

“So it just kind of brings to light how important the Rebuild Marshalltown funds were to allow to make this happen,” Schutte said. And as I’ve shared with the board, between the money we already within the project had devoted to this as far as 13th Street was concerned, and then the Rebuild Marshalltown Grant. Some monies that have been fundraised from the classes of ’79, ’80 and ’81, and the fact that we raised much more than what the target amount was and then having some discretionary Martha-Ellen Tye (money) kind of piecing together, what will it take not only to create this path along all of 13th Street on the east side of Franklin Field, but then also down into West End Park on the school district property.”

In a prior conversation, Board member Zach Wahl mentioned a glow trail in Ankeny — there are currently two others in the state — and Schutte worked with a representative to explore the possibility of bringing the “neat and unique” feature to Marshalltown.

“As Julie said, when I spoke to the subcommittee of the Rebuild Marshalltown (fund) and pitched this idea or project, they were super, super, super excited about more things even beyond Franklin Field potentially happening to bring added value to our community as to really anything that happens down on West End Park or 13th Street,” Schutte said.

The total added cost to the district is around $140,000, which includes the incorporation of glow stones to create the path. Along with the Rebuild Marshalltown contribution, the remainder will be covered through available fundraised money discretionary annual grant funding. At the end of the day, it will cost the district about $25,000 more than was originally planned for the Franklin Field project.

Schutte also wanted to ensure the city was committed so that the path would ultimately lead somewhere and not just abruptly end at a creek. The city’s portion of the cost is about $617,000 and includes installing a bridge over the creek, most of which will come from funds already committed to a restroom and parking lot project at West End that is still expected to be completed at a later date.

“I have spoken to Randy (Denham) too, and he feels like we’re in a position where we can accommodate that amount beyond what we had planned to do,” Schutte said. “So, this would be a big step and the board approving us being able to move forward on that. Tentatively, I think the plan would be, in terms of schedule of the whole project that last we talked about it, I think sometime in September is when they would start on this — both a sidewalk replacement along 13th Street that would need to happen and then also the trails.”

The school district’s portion of the trail would likely be completed by September or October. Schutte shared a preliminary plan that shows which areas the city and school district would be responsible for, with a future goal to continue it south from the intersection of 13th Street and West Main and connect it to Linn Street at the back of Miller Middle School.

“As you know, we’re buying out these properties and going to turn that into parking, enhanced parking for Miller, so our thought was to run it due south, which could then connect with a trailhead, I think, in two different locations. One would be between Boone Street and Lincoln Way. There’s a connection to the trail, and then there’s another connection further to the south at a little late part, obviously,” he said. “So, as far as the city is concerned, this is very, very preliminary, nothing set in stone for sure what directions it will go, but I’m hoping at a minimum, they could go both directions in order to connect with multiple places. But it will definitely be wonderful for us as far as easier access and connectivity both to the practice field and then the Franklin School students as well.”

Schutte expressed his gratitude for city leadership’s willingness to collaborate on the project and share a new vision for Franklin Field and West End Park going forward. A motion to approve the Con-Struct quote passed by a unanimous 6-0 vote with Leah Stanley absent.

In a subsequent press release, Hitchins shared the reasoning behind awarding the final Rebuild Marshalltown grant to the project and noted that the fund has distributed 13 grants totaling nearly $850,000.

“The Rebuild Marshalltown Fund Committee focused on projects that didn’t just rebuild, but reimagined what Marshalltown could become. With the revitalization of the 13th Street District and the growing popularity of West End Park, this ‘glow’ path offers a creative and meaningful connection between these spaces. It clearly reflects our mission to rebuild even stronger,” she said.

“We are thrilled for the MCSD to have been chosen to receive significant financial support, from the Rebuild Marshalltown Committee, to assist our creation of a walking, jogging and biking path along 13th Street and the northern boundary of Franklin Field leading toward West End Park. The ultimate plan, via collaboration with the City of Marshalltown, will be to continue the path through the park connecting it to Summit Street. This will be a significant enhancement for our residents taking advantage of the amenities at both West End Park and Franklin Field,” Schutte added.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.