A continuing public-private partnership between Country Financial and Heartland Community College [HCC] will fund an extension of Constitution Trail to a new nature space on the east side of HCC's campus in Normal.
While the trail is the namesake for the local insurance company, the project also includes the creation of new, natural spaces near Birky Pond: An atrium-style outdoor classroom, 13 acres of restored prairie, four fishing piers along the pond, a gazebo and two bird-watching stations.
A $200,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will fund part of the project, with Country Financial pledging to pick up much of the remaining cost.
The financial commitment is an extension of a preexisting relationship between Heartland and Country that includes both a scholarship and a workforce development program.
"Our roots as an organization are in agriculture and the company has a real spirit around conservation and proper land stewardship," CEO Jim Jacobs said at a news conference on Thursday. "We think that this is just a really nice way for us to connect here in town with that history that we have, so we're extremely excited about this."
Normal Mayor Chris Koos said the planned extension of Constitution Trail further into Heartland's campus — following this year's completion of an extension along Illinois State University Golf Course — indicates the growing community value of the trail system.
"When the trail first started, it was only, like, two miles long and people were scratching their heads, saying, 'What is this? What's it going to do?'" he said. "Today, we have over 50 miles of trail in the community. ... It's our most successful park system [and] probably the most-used park system that we have."
In an interview, Heartland president Keith Cornille said improving the natural area surrounding Birky Pond was part of the community college's 10-year master facilities plan.
"This was a part of that: How do we improve that part of our property, in order to enrich it, in order to bring community together? And the most logical thing seemed to be to bring Constitution Trail right around the pond, through that area, and then through campus as well, because it will take the community and drive it through the community college campus," he said.
That Country Financial became involved was the result of an organic conversation about sustainability: Cornille said Heartland applied for the IDNR grant, then sat down with members of the nonprofit advocacy group Friends of the Constitution Trail.
"Then, Jim [Jacobs] and I were in a conversation and we were talking about things that are of value to both our organizations and I shared with him that we were going to be doing this. [He] jumped right in and said, 'Yeah, we want to be a part of that,'" Cornille said. "So the funding just started to fall together through the donations, through the grant and through some of the college resources."
A total project cost has not yet been determined; a spokesperson for Heartland said that figure won't be available until February when final project information goes before the college's board of trustees.
Work on the trail is expected to begin next spring, with a project completion date tentatively set for July.
