Trail Construction Underway in Bicentennial Park

Construction is underway in Bicentennial Park. A 0.6-mile long 10-foot-wide accessible asphalt trail with a parking area is under construction. The parking area will have about 12 car spaces, with room to add later if traffic warrants. "We wanted to make an extension off the pedestrian connector to connect folks to both the wetlands and the western bank of the Wabash River," Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Adam Grossman explained. 

The .6-mile trail foreshadows improvements to the southeast entrance to the Wabashiki trail system. The Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department has seen the robust use of the pedestrian connector between Terre Haute and West Terre Haute. The addition of 0.6 miles will expand pedestrian activity opportunities. "With the extreme proximity to downtown Terre Haute hotels and destinations, this is an added opportunity for folks to bike, hike, and walk along the Wabashiki wetlands and the Wabash River," Grossman explained.  The 0.6-mile long trail construction is slated for completion by Mid-August. A few remaining amenities will be added thereafter by the Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department.

Funding Secured

The 0.6-mile-long trail was made possible through a Recreational Trails Program grant opportunity by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The $168,000 grant was an 80/20 match, with 80% provided by state funds. Since the project was initially quoted, inflation has soared. The Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department was short $137,000 to complete the project. The Vigo County Health Department stepped up to help to promote outdoor activity. "There are 92 counties in Indiana. Vigo County is 72nd in the state for health and wellness. We're glad our two departments could see how this would mutually benefit everyone's health in Vigo County," Grossman explained. 

Expanding Presence in West Terre Haute

The Vigo County Parks and Recreation Department has been building its presence in West Terre Haute for several years. They started with a part-time employee position that was financially assisted through Indiana State University. Then they bought the old PJ tracking building and converted it into a shop building. Over time they have moved to consistently have one part-time and one full-time employee working to maintain the parks and trails in western Vigo County. 

RiverSCAPE Board Elects New Leadership

Bryan Horsman Elected President

The RiverSCAPE Board has elected new leadership positions onto the Board. Bryan Horsman was elected President. Horsman first learned about RiverSCAPE in 2010 when he ran Cross Country and Track & Field at Indiana State University. The late John McNicholas was Horsman’s coach. During Horsman’s time at ISU, he participated in all the trash clean-ups in the Wabashiki Wetlands and used the trails three to five times a week to run.

Coach McNichols often talked about expanding the trails, allowing runners miles and miles of soft surface running. A few years after graduating from ISU, Horsman met former Board President Michael Shaw through a work project. “I noticed his enthusiasm for all the projects that riverSCAPE was working on and eventually asked the Board to elect him to the board,” said outgoing RiverSCAPE President Michael Shaw.

Since joining the RiverSCAPE Board, Horsman has never shied away from leadership roles. He spent his first year helping out where he needed to learn more about the organization. Over the last few years, he joined the Trails, Explore Wabashiki Day, Flowering at Fairbanks, and Moonlight on the Wabash committees. In 2022, he served as Vice President and chaired the Explore Wabashiki event.

Horsman’s early childhood was spent growing up in Colorado with an active family. “This is where I found my love for the outdoors. The Wabashiki allows many, if not all, of these outdoor activities I did as a child, whether it be hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, or just going for a walk or a run,” Horsman explained.

Horsman’s first experience with the Wabashiki was with the ISU cross-country team. After few days into the season, he completed his first run in the Wabashiki. “Little did I know the Wabashiki would become our main running route for the next five years,” Horsman recalled. During his time at ISU, and thousands of miles running on the trails, he experienced the early work of RiverSCAPE. The trails began to grow and expand, Dewey Point was formed, and volunteers removed thousands of pounds of trash from the Wabashiki. “As time passes, the Wabashiki keeps growing to serve our community and the wildlife. I am glad that through RiverSCAPE, I can help connect the Wabashiki to our community,” Horsman explained.

Looking toward the future, during his term as President, he will work with the Board on their strategic plan. The plan will help identify many projects RiverSCAPE will work on over the next few years. “I would like to continue the great success RiverSCAPE has had while trying to connect further with our community. Many people do not know they can become a member to help support our work. From there, they can join any of our committees and participate in our member meetings to help make a hands-on difference,” Horsman explained.