October 22, 2015 - Non-profit organization Fort Wayne Trails, in partnership with the Indiana DNR, Life Bridge Church, City of Fort Wayne, Allen County and numerous donors, celebrated the dedication and opening of the newest sections of the Pufferbelly Trail today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Life Bridge Church Trailhead, 12719 Corbin Rd. in Fort Wayne.
The newest section of the Pufferbelly Trail from Dupont Road to Life Bridge Church provides over 1.6 miles of new pathway for safe travel on foot or bicycle and includes the church's new public trail access and trailhead. The Life Bridge Church Trailhead will serve as the current northernmost point of the Pufferbelly Trail in Allen County, while the trail undergoes development to extend both north and south in future years.
"The Pufferbelly Trail is a tremendous asset to our community," said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. "Our trails system makes us unique and an attractive place for people to live, work, and play. I continue to be encouraged by the positive momentum we're experiencing in our City as we work together to make a meaningful difference."
The Pufferbelly Trail extension was made possible by a combination of funds from over 25 donors, including the gift of the church's new trailhead by Mark Deister. "Even though I don't own a bike and live 30 minutes away, I wholeheartedly believe that the trail access was the right thing to do for the well-being of the community," said Deister. "Life Bridge Church has already seen over a thousand people using the new trail and access, and we couldn't be happier to have added this opportunity to improve the health, quality of life, and the economic viability of our community."
When completed, the Pufferbelly Trail corridor will stretch 80 miles from Pokagon State Park near Angola to Ouabache State Park in Bluffton, linking to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, retail areas, numerous neighborhoods and downtown Fort Wayne in the process. It's a conversion of the former New York Railroad line and the name is a nod to the steam engines that once roared through the area.
Lori Rose, Fort Wayne Trails' executive director, said, "As we work with the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County, and our neighboring counties to extend the Pufferbelly Trail into downtown Fort Wayne and beyond, it takes an army of supporters to continue the progress. We are so grateful for donor support that will make it possible for thousands more people can safely and conveniently use the Pufferbelly to travel to arts and cultural destinations, schools, retail areas, downtown, and neighboring communities in the future."
"The Pufferbelly Trail is the type of regional opportunity that can transform our community," said Rose. "People are clamoring for more connectivity to the trails, and the Pufferbelly contains the perfect mix of residential, retail and cultural destinations that will make it a monumental attraction for our region. Similar trail corridors, like the Monon in Indianapolis, have resulted in property value increases of over $140 million, and we're seeing comparable desirability of the trails here from residents, transplants and area employers alike."