Who are the Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail?
The Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail is a “grass roots” organization made up of a group of citizens from Clinton, Ionia and Shiawassee counties who feel that a recreational trail would be an asset to mid-Michigan. The ultimate goal of the group is to develop a rail-trail between Ionia and Owosso on the former Central Michigan Railroad property (since purchased by the State of Michigan), which ceased rail service in 1992

What is the scope of this project?
The proposed trail encompasses 41.3 miles of former railroad right of way and lies in three counties (Clinton Ionia and Shiawassee) and involves more than a dozen different local governments. At the current time, the rails and ties have been removed from the property and a relatively flat and smooth surface exists on much of the proposed trail.  The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment has held a variety of stakeholder meetings to determine the future uses and development of the trail.

What is the history of rail-trails in Michigan? 
Actually, rail-trails are not new to Michigan and our state is recognized as a national leader in rail-trails with over 90 trails encompassing over 1,100 miles. In fact, Governor John Engler and the Michigan Legislature passed the Michigan Trailways Act in 1993. The preamble to this act states that creating a trail system “...is in the best interest of the state and is declared to be a public purpose.”

Why put a trail on this property?
In the area where the proposed trail is situated, family oriented recreational opportunities are not very prevalent and there is no facility of this type in the immediate area. Former railroad right-of-ways such as this one make excellent sites for trails because they tend to be relatively flat and typically contain a well-constructed base as well as bridges over rivers and streams. Developed as a trail, this facility could be used by all segments of the adjacent communities depending on how it is developed. For instance, it could be used for walking and biking for a relatively low cost of development and maintenance or it could be developed for activities such as in-line skating which would require a much higher cost because of the hard surface that would be required. Each community adjacent to the proposed trail would decide what their needs are and propose development options based on that need. The close proximity of adjacent towns along the property to each other also makes it ideal for use as a trail. This would enable trail users from adjacent communities to go for a ride to the next town, enjoy a snack or lunch and then continue on or turn around and return home. Prior to its purchase by the State of Michigan, the property was owned by the Straits Corporation of Bay City, Michigan. They are also the owners of the Central Michigan Railroad.