The Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans, Topeka, recently announced more than $270,000 in Sunflower Trails Grants to 11 Kansas communities to build, expand, improve and connect trails.

The City of Hutchinson received a $30,000 grant award toward the cost of a ten-foot wide concrete trail extension, 1200’ in length, which will connect the existing northeast trail to a trail-head located in the parking lot of the new Dillon’s Marketplace. This store is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2013.

Dillon’s Stores will construct a 140′ x 61′ trailhead in a portion of their parking lot. Connecting the existing trail to the new trail-head will enable the public to safely walk or bike to multiple retail establishments to complete everyday tasks. A greenway, a small triangular area along East 30th leading to the connector, will be constructed as well.

The Hutchinson Tree Board will provide trees for this area. This organization, funded largely through private donations, exists to enhance the urban tree canopy. Lackey-Nielson Chiropractic and the Dillons Company are providing needed land easements to make the construction of this trail connection project possible.

Additional financial contributions toward the cost of the trail extension have been made by a 2012 Hutchinson Community Foundation Fund for Hutchinson Grant award, a grant from the Friends of the Trail, and public funds from the city’s Capital Improvements Program.

The City of Hutchinson currently maintains more than 18 miles of trails for walking and biking. This trail connection will be completed along with the work to widen Waldron Street north of 30th and ready for the public’s use when the Marketplace opens later in 2013.

Since the Sunflower Trails program began in 2005, the foundation has funded more than 85 trails in more than 40 Kansas communities. The mission of the Sunflower Foundation is to serve as a catalyst for improving the health of Kansans.