OrthoWorx Announces Funding for Trailhead Park to Expand Recreational Trails Network

Warsaw, Ind., September 21, 2012 – OrthoWorx announced today that it providing $50,000 in funding to enable construction of the Krebs Trailhead Park, a key element in connecting and expanding Kosciusko County’s recreational assets for bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Our research in the area of Community Enhancement has shown a high level of interest in expanded recreational offerings, especially in building on the tremendous assets represented by our bicycle trail system. The Krebs Trailhead Park is an important step in creating connections that make existing greenways and the Winona Lake trails part of a larger network, providing new options for outdoor recreation,” said Sheryl Conley, OrthoWorx CEO.

The Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Commission is also providing funding for the project. Mr. Eddie Krebs donated the land necessary for the project to the City and NIPSCO is providing landscaping support.

The Krebs Trailhead Park project was defined by the Ride+Walk Warsaw+Winona Lake Advisory Committee and is being managed by the City of Warsaw. The Committee is a 17-member group of community members and government officials from Warsaw, Winona Lake and Kosciusko County. The group was formed to help guide the development of a bicycle/pedestrian master plan, which was enabled by a State Department of Health grant to the City of Warsaw.

The Krebs Trailhead Park site is along a proposed route from The Village at Winona to Downtown Warsaw. Starting at the intersection of East Market Street and McKinley Street, the trailhead park will provide new paths as well as restrooms, trail information, seating, picnic tables, bike parking, and open space.

The design details include trail information centers with maps detailing city and county destinations. Visitors and residents alike will be able to find everything from the next-closest park, to the longest route around the county. The information centers will also include historic information about the interurban rail line that used to run through the area. Decorative lighting in the park will be modeled after antique trail station lamps.

The OrthoWorx Community Enhancement Initiative is funded through the Orthopedics Capital Foundation and is focused on building on the region’s assets to enhance quality of life for residents and to make the community more attractive to those being recruited to the area. Other projects have been the establishment of the OrthoWorx Diversity Council, development and launch of a community web portal, www.mywarsaw.net, and support for the Wagon Wheel Theatre’s efforts to expand youth education and programming.

About OrthoWorx

Formed in 2009 with initial funding from the Lilly Endowment, OrthoWorx (www.orthoworxindiana.com) is a community-based initiative that works strategically and collaboratively with the orthopedic industry and other stakeholders to ensure that the Warsaw region continues to reap the social and economic benefits that derive from its position as The Orthopedic Capital of the World.™