Mike Wolanin | The Republic A view an engraved brick on the 1821 Trail in downtown Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022.
The official opening of the city’s 1821 Trail has been pushed back to the spring of 2023 amid ongoing delays with the project.
Redevelopment Director Heather Pope reported the news to the Columbus Redevelopment Commission.
“We had a little trouble with the brick subcontractor, and now we have a new subcontractor,” said Pope. “And they have been doing a phenomenal job of getting things finished up. However, by the time they get that finished and the landscaping in, it’s going to be into December.”
She said in a previous interview that the trail would likely be largely complete in September, due to factors such as supply chain issues, weather and subcontractor delays pushing back against an earlier estimate for August completion. Landscaping was expected to be installed sometime in November, and the city hoped to have a ribbon cutting ceremony once that piece was finished.
However, given the more recent delays, Pope told the commission that the ceremony has been postponed until sometime this spring, as the weather will be “more favorable” then.
The city and Bicentennial Commission have called the 1821 Trail the “seminal project” of the 2021 bicentennial. According to officials, the trail extension will run from Water Street to Lafayette Avenue, connecting to the Haw Creek Trail. The project also includes architectural, historic and artistic elements.
The total project cost is estimated at about $1.94 million, according to Pope.
Funding sources include Columbus Redevelopment, the American Rescue Plan, the Parks Foundation, donors such as Duke Energy and Kenny Glass, and an engraved brick campaign.
