Governor Nixon tours state to announce trail funding

Governor and First Lady Nixon at the Katy Trail extension grand opening in St. Charles

Gov. Jay Nixon visited Springfield on Thursday to announce that an $85,000 grant will connect the main education building currently under construction to one of the trails on the site. . . .

He said trails like the one that will be built at Valley Water Mill Park help local economies and tourism.

In addition to those advantages, Nixon stressed the health benefits for local residents, specifically children.

“We need healthier folks,” Nixon said. “It makes healthcare cheaper for everyone, it makes lives longer, it makes for a higher quality of life. ... We’re focusing a lot of this effort on kids. We’ve seen over the last few years kids not get outdoors as much as they have in the past.”

The governor's press release about the projects is here.

Governor Nixon also recently visited Kirksville to announce funding for a long-planned trail section connecting Kirksville to a nearby state park  and St Louis to announce $550,000 in grants for trails in the area.