A New Path Forward
A Southland Business Forum on the Economic Promise of Trail Development

Thanks to everyone who attended A New Path Forward - A Southland Business Forum on the Economic Promise of Trail Development, September 30 at the Doubletree Hotel Chicago Alsip.

Our speakers were fascinating, and we hope you brought back tangible ideas that can be used in your community to enhance trail development and interpretation.

Presentations from our Featured Speakers are highlighted below; simply click on the speaker's name or the presentation and you will be directed to a printable Adobe .PDF file.

Be sure to check back for additional information within the next few weeks.

The upcoming National Trails Symposium, November 15 - 18, 2008 in Little Rock, Arkansas, will feature a number of the speakers from A New Path Forward, plus many more top-notch trail development professionals, and a complete program of interesting break-out sessions and mobile workshops for attendees.

We also encourage you to keep an eye on the Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference site for details on the 2009 MATAG Conference.

A New Path Forward will be back in 2010.

Keep on Trail-Building, and keep on networking with your development partners!

A New Path Forward Featured Speakers

Ray Irvin, former Bicycle Coordinator, Indiana Department of Transportation

Monon Trail Presentation 1

Indiana Greenways Presentation 2
Ray led the development of Indianapolis's Monon Trail and the innovative public/private partnerships that have made the Monon Trail a strategic community development tool for the Indianapolis metro area.

Terry Eastin, Arkansas River Trail's Medical Mile

Economic Impact of Trail Development Study

Medical Mile Presentation

Terry Eastin's Presentation: Video
Terry was instrumental in forming the Medical Mile by redefining trails as health infrastructure and reaching out to health care and corporations as wellness partners.

Ron Carter, President of the Greenways Foundation

Ron Carter's Presentation: Video
Ron directs the Greenways Foundation, an Indiana-based foundation that develops trail infrastructure through community development partnerships.

Ginny Sullivan, New Routes Coordinator, Adventure Cycling Association
Ginny coordinated the creation of the Underground Railroad Route, the first system of bicycle routes and maps that explore African-American history from Alabama to Ontario.

Stephen Wolter, Executive Director, Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands, Indiana University
A nationally respected researcher in trails' impact on the Triple Bottom Line, Stephen's current research includes a seminal study on trails' economic impact and the characteristics and usage patterns that affect it.

A New Path Forward 2008 Sponsors Were :