K21 Health Foundation has awarded the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee a generous grant for the construction of a sidewalk-trail on Harkless Drive from Palm Drive to SR 13. The trail committee received a $50,000 grant from the foundation.

The committee met Monday evening to hear the good news.

K21 Health Foundation is making it possible to connect even more people to the ever-growing Syracuse-Wawasee Trail network. This grant, in combination with money from the town of Syracuse and the trail committee, will enable more than 40 homes and businesses, including the Oakwood Resort, the Frog Tavern, and Lakeside Fitness, to be connected to the trail.

“Plus, this will be an integral connector between communities further south on Lake Wawasee and the town of Syracuse,” said Megan McClellan, executive director.

Though the details are still being finalized, the trail committee hopes to break ground on this project as soon as the weather warms up in the spring.

The committee also voted on its mission and vision. “Trails connecting communities” will be its mission. “It really helps me,” said McClellan. “It will help us focus on connecting communities together.”

Several updates were also presented. There have been several updates to the website this past month. The new website will be unveiled by the end of March. It will feature an interactive map of the trails.

Two proposals for the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation boardwalk were presented for consideration. McClellan and three committee members are reviewing them. A recommendation will be brought to the committee’s February meeting.

McClellan told the committee kiosks and trail heads will be built by a local Boy Scout troop. They have a detailed plan design and are getting it approved by the Boy Scout Council; McClellan hopes to have one by spring.

Position descriptions for the trail committee were presented. The positions are chairperson, minute taker and treasurer. However, the committee decided to buy a recorder for the minutes thus eliminating the need for a minute taker.

Donn Baird presented the treasurer’s report. The report notes the committee has $237,518.33 in its account. Of that, $50,000 is reserved for laying trail and $5,000 from Wawasee Property Owners Association is earmarked for the trail by the fish hatchery and $2,000 is earmarked for the south side of Lake Wawasee for a portion of the trail.

Donations totaled $9,175 for December.

A Tails and Trails event will be in the spring; it will be the grand opening of the Syracuse Lake Trail Loop. McClellan and Chairperson Mike Buhrt met Tuesday to discuss finishing this loop first thing in the spring.

The committee is considering obtaining a multi-purpose vehicle to clean the trails. The vehicle will be obtained from the park’s department, said Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, who will spec the vehicle. He said he is not asking for money and the committee can share it with the parks department.

McClellan asked the committee to consider its objectives. These include short-, medium- and long-term plans. The members will email these suggestions to her by the next meeting. “These are good objectives as they are specific and by a certain date. I will rank them by priority,” she noted. She said it’s important to do this for strategic planning purposes.

Bob Trame was named Volunteer of the Month.

The next meeting is at 6 p.m. Feb. 16, at Syracuse Community Center.