The Department of Natural Resources has opened the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee (FMCIS) Trail and, in conjunction with local communities and the Friends of the FMCIS Trail, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 18. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the St. Johns Rotary Park pavilion near the Clinton Northern Railway Depot, located at 107 Railroad St. in St. Johns.
The Friends group invites all trail-lovers to attend the ceremony and discover this new recreational opportunity in the mid-Michigan area.
As part of the celebration, local bicycle shops in Ionia and Owosso are arranging bike rides to start on their respective ends of the trail, culminating at the St. Johns Rotary Park pavilion before the ceremony. Shorter-distance rides may be available depending on interest. For more information on how to join these rides, contact Rick Morris at The House of Wheels in Owosso at 989-725-8373 or Gary Ferguson at Dan’s Bike Shop in Ionia at 616-527-0471.
The 42-mile trail begins west of Owosso at Smith Road and traverses rich farm land and the communities of Ovid, St. Johns and Fowler. In Ionia County the trail is mostly forested and follows the Maple and Grand rivers through the villages of Pewamo and Muir, ending just east of Ionia at Prairie Creek. Plans are in place for connectors to other trails on each end.
Although the Fred Meijer CIS Trail was completed only recently, it already has garnered a significant amount of community support and popularity. The collaboration of many partners made the trail possible. With assistance from the Michigan Department of Transportation and the DNR, the State purchased the corridor, and construction was completed with grants from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and the former federal Transportation Enhancement Program. A grant from the Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinaw Bicycle Tour (DALMAC) Fund, along with contributions from local communities and funds raised by the Friends group, also funded the trail. In addition, a generous endowment grant from the Meijer Foundation ensures the preservation of the trail in perpetuity.
