About
Our Organization
About the Cedar Trails Partnership
The Cedar Trails Partnership promotes the continued expansion and safe year-round enjoyment of recreation trails in Black Hawk County, Iowa and surrounding communities
The Cedar Trails Partnership advocates for the expansion, maintenance and safe use of the trails through grassroots communication with local, state and federal officials. The organization is represented at monthly Metropolitan Planning Organization meetings and members are occasionally contacted to help articulate a message when appropriate.
Our efforts our coordinated through our Board of Directors and Standing Committees.
Our History
The Cedar Trails Partnership Begins
In 1994, the Cedar Valley Lakes Board, a local non-profit group, was working to develop recreational venues around the lakes being created by highway construction excavation. That fall, the Cedar Trails Partnership was formed and quickly applied for nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, which was granted in 1995.
Representatives from the partnership began attending meetings and public hearings of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization (MPO) in order to stay informed about trail funding opportunities. A membership drive shortly followed, generating more than 200 members, and suddenly the organization had a treasury large enough to start doing things.
The focus of the CTP remained trail advocacy, with a CTP representative gaining an advisory seat on the MPO, its technical committee, and the enhancement committee; and on organizing the annual trails festival.
In 1998, the CTP began to take a more proactive approach to trails issues. The CTP acted as a facilitating agency, drawing together all of the municipalities and agencies with trails oversight to develop a coherent and consistent policy on privately-donated benches and other trail enhancements. Working with law enforcement and governing agencies, the CTP also organized a volunteer Cedar Trail Patrol to provide security and assistance to trail users.
These components of the partnership remain vital today.
Our Trails
28Years of Advocacy
110 +Miles of Trails
200 +Members
65 kDollars We Collected
Leadership 2020 Officers
Who Helps Us
The Partnership is fortunate to have to support of several local businesses through their memberships. We thank the following for their support and encourage you to patronize their businesses.
