Waukee Gets Grant to Complete Heart of the Warrior Trail Project

Fans of biking, running, walking or just leisurely riding the trails in Waukee have a reason to celebrate.

Waukee Mayor Bill Peard announced today that Waukee was one of seven communities in Iowa to receive a grant worth $125,000 from the Iowa Department of Natural Resource’s Resource Enhancement Protection. The grants are given by the state for the enhancement and protection of the state's natural and cultural resources. will use the money to complete the Heart of the Warrior Trail project.

“We, the staff and electeds in Waukee, have pushed and prodded to get the trail system completed,” said Peard. “This is big stuff. If you look at our trail system, it’s busy all the time. More people are starting to realize the health benefits of moving and staying active. It benefits not only their recreation, but their quality of life.”

The Heart of the Warrior Trail sits to the northeast of Centennial Park at the corner of Warrior Lane and University Avenue and runs east-to-west through the city. The grant will be used to connect the trail to the Greenbelt Trail in Clive’s Linnan Park.

Eventually, the Heart of the Warrior Trail will also cross Alice’s Road, the site of one of Waukee’s much talked about development projects.

“The Alice’s Road corridor project is a view of the future of Waukee,” Peard noted in his announcement. “Through that initiative, we will more efficiently connect our city to the rest of the metro area and continue to attract new business development and create new jobs.”

There’s no date set for when construction will begin, though Peard said he was certain it would be completed by next spring.