The Rails to Trails Conservancy has a scholarship available for a Richmond resident or Richmond City staff person for an all expenses paid attendance at the TrailLink 2005, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s international trails and greenways conference in Minneapolis and St. Paul, July 27-30, 2005. The Scholarship has a value of nearly $1,000.

TrailLink 2005 will examine new trends in trail design and management; explore the public health impact of trails; provide the latest policy and legal updates; and examine other core issues affecting national and international trails, all with a focus on improving communities through expanding trail networks.

The venue will be the dynamic Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota, located on the banks of the Mississippi River. Experience, first-hand, one of the country’s most advanced urban trail systems, and take advantage of the many opportunities to explore the best of Minnesota trails.

The selected recipient must be involved in or be committed to be involved in trail planning, trail design, trail advocacy or some related endeavor where the knowledge gained can be put to work. This would be an especially valuable experience for some young Richmond resident interested in the Bay Trail or the Richmond Greenway.

For more info on the conference, check the website: http://www.railtrails.org/traillink2005/.

Reservations have to be made by early next week, so if you are interested, contact me ASAP via email, or phone me at 510/237-2084 or 510/220-1577.

I believe Jeffery Rosenhall of the Healthy Transportation Network will be contacting you shortly to schedule a planning meeting to get started on our technical assistance on the Richmond Greenway.  I think we were considering next week, if you’re available.