Non-profit organization Trailheads Southwest Indiana is working to raise funds to build a new mountain biking trail at the University of Southern Indiana (USI).
The goal is a 2.75 mile loop on the USI campus of “natural surface” —AKA dirt — trails.
“It would be a 2.75 mile campus loop, cross country single track loop adjacent to student housing and other parking areas,” said Executive Director Brad Scales. “And it would have features on it like rollers and berms and small jumps and rock features as well.”
They’re hoping to raise $50,000 for a matching fund grant from the Creating Places State of Indiana program, totaling $100,000.
Jim Wolfe is working with Trailheads. He is director of facilities operations and planning with USI.
“We have several 100 acres out here and putting them into use, we have a lot of walking trails,” he said. “But now putting bike trails on it will draw more younger people out here. Make people more familiar with the campus. A part of it's about recruitment, part of it's about providing a service to the public, so they can use our space.”
After the 2.75 mile trail, the plan is a .6 mile connector for the Broadway Road Trailhead to make the USI trail more accessible — as long as they raise the money.
Scales said they’re set to break ground on a smaller separate campus trail project at USI. This will be funded by $25,000 from the CenterPoint Foundation and could draw attention to that bigger overall project.
“‘Campus flow’ trails is the tentative plan,” Scales said. “Short jump trails in the woods by the ceramics center building.”
Wolfe said this project will offer students a chance to try out mountain biking on a smaller scale.
“He's going to put some little little courses and some training courses that will help people learn how to ride trails, and then there's some short beginner trails, he's going to start on.”
This Boonville based non-profit has built trails in Warrick County, and this would be their first in Vanderburgh County. Their focus is getting young people and children involved in mountain biking, said Scales.
“What we have is a pretty good model that gets kids on bikes, gets them active, gets them (to be) part of the group …it brings a variety of kids together.”