Gay Lea Wilson Trail

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Des Moines, IA
Gay Lea Wilson Trail

In 1989, Gay Lea Wilson began working on a small trail in her neighborhood in east Des Moines. She has served as the chair of this trail for 20 years.

Gay contacted the communities along Four Mile Creek, involving them in investigating a much larger trail system, connecting with other existing and planned trails. She also wrote the first few grants that brought significant funding to the project. These included two from the National Parks Service, as well as REAP and the IDOT. The formal dedication of the trail was June 21, 2000. During the foll

owing year, several elected officials and community members discussed renaming the Four Mile Creek Greenway Trail to honor the years of leadership Gay had provided. This was announced by the Des Moines Register and came as a complete surprise to Gay. Des Moines, Pleasant Hill, Altoona, Bondurant, Ankeny and Polk County have renamed all of their sections to the Gay Lea Wilson Trail. She has continued to serve as the chair of this trail committee for the last 20 years, as well as serving on many other trails and wellness advocacy groups in Central Iowa. Gay has also served on the Des Moines Park Board, some of those years as President, the Pleasant Hill Park and Recreation Commission, and on the Pleasant Hill City Council.

06/18/2024

https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2024/06/18/des-moines-trail-closures-bill-riley-neil-smith-carl-voss

The city is experiencing a high number of trail closures, due to construction deadlines.

06/10/2024

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Des Moines Parks and Recreation has launched the 2024 Trail Art Corridor Contest, inviting local artists to submit their artwork for a chance to be featured along the city’s popular multi-use trails. This initiative aims to refresh and expand the Trail Art Corridors, enhancing these unique destina...

05/24/2024

What Des Moines-area trails are closed due to flooding?
Des Moines trail closures:
Gay Lea Wilson: Colfax to Williams
Neal Smith: Birdland to Sixth Avenue
Trestle to Trestle: Interurban to Polk County building
Walnut Creek: Grand Avenue Bridge
Principal Riverwalk: Principal Park to Riverwalk Park
John Pat Dorrian: Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge
Bill Riley: Walnut Creek connector to Water Works

05/22/2024

Trail Closures

Attention drivers: George Flagg Parkway is closed from SW 30th to Park Avenue. There are also several trail closures.

04/27/2024

Keep the folks in SW Pleasant Hill, near the trail, in your prayers. Quite a lot of damage. Thankful no lives lost!

04/24/2024

Great work!
Check out this gallery from Des Moines Register: Photos: Tree planting at Strasser Woods

See photos as the Iowa Woodland Owners Association and Polk County Conservation plants 750 trees Monday, April 22, 2024.

03/07/2024

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/bondurant/2024/03/01/bondurant-landus-grain-elevators-could-become-hotel-under-new-downtown-plan/72778408007/

The silos, which have been an iconic landmark in Bondurant for decades, could be turned into housing and a hotel with a rooftop event space.

02/15/2024

A major industrial and commercial thoroughfare on Des Moines' northeast side undergoes an estimated $80 million makeover to improve safety and access

01/25/2024

MORE great news! The SE Connector will be a complete street with street, an on-street bike lane, and a wide sidewalk! Connecting MLK/E 30th to the Gay Lea Wilson Trail and the Hwy 65 bypass. It has been a LONG time coming. This will be a great connection for the Central Iowa Trails!

Plans for a new road to connect Pleasant Hill to Des Moines are moving forward.

01/24/2024

Great connection! Long time coming!
Check out this story from Des Moines Register: Trail segment will link Carlisle, Indianola to central Iowa system

Des Moines Parks and Recreation Director Ben Page said the planned 3-mile link will plug one of the system's last remaining gaps

Des Moines Parks and Recreation Director Ben Page said the planned 3-mile link will plug one of the system's last remaining gaps

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http://www.traillink.com/trail/gay-lea-wilson-trail4-mile-creek-greenway-trail.aspx

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