There have been challenges to make the Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension along Old 30 in Warsaw a reality, but Thursday a groundbreaking ceremony took place to get the physical part of the project started.
The extension, about eight-tenths of a mile, is expected to be completed within a few months.
Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe, subbing in for Middle District County Commissioner Cary Groninger who was unable to attend the groundbreaking, explained that her position was created in 2022 and was related to the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) $1 million grant that the county received.
“The purpose of that was to build capacity in the small communities, but the county had to spend $1 million to do that. So, one of the projects that was actually chosen by the team to be able to be a match, so that our communities like Milford and Etna Green and others could be able to have that money, was this Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension,” she explained.
A group of 65 individuals, starting in 2022, got together to talk about different projects that would help strengthen the pathways and quality of life for Kosciusko County. The trail extension project was at the top of the list.
“It has been a labor of love as all things are to try to figure out how to do, and even today I can say that we have had more challenges than we have had successes. But, I say, all the hard things will come at first, so that the rest of it will be easy,” Roe said.

    A display board shows the plans for the Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension Project at Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

Groninger wanted Roe to convey he was very excited the Kosciusko Parks and Recreation Board worked very hard “to be able to build capacity and move things forward. Just a few short years ago, there was no park board. So we are going to see a lot of movement related to trails and parks and all the other things that we are very excited about.”
Parks Board President Rob Bishop said, “It’s been 2-1/2 years that we’ve had a Parks Board, and Cary Groninger is really the patron of our Parks Board.”
Several years ago, Kosciusko County did the Forward Kosciusko study.
“It was really an overview of what should happen in Kosciusko County and what people wanted. One of the strong outtakes of that was there really should be a county parks board and we really should be looking at a countywide parks system,” Bishop said. “So the county said fine, we’ll create a parks board.”
Since the board was created with volunteers, Bishop said they created a five-year plan approved by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which is critical when applying for state grants.
“As we were wrapping that up, Cary comes in and says, ‘Hey, I’ve got this pool of money. You guys should look at building out to the Marshall County line because Marshall County wants to build out to you,’” Bishop recalled, and the first section of the trail extension was born.
As Marshall County is now probably not going to build its trails out to Kosciusko County anymore, Bishop said Kosciusko probably isn’t going to build out further west.
“But we are going to take in all these houses along here,” he said, asking the residents in the neighborhood to raise their hands. “One of the things we heard from the neighbors is that the people on the north side were already walking down Old 30 to come to the Chinworth Bridge, to come to CCAC. So we’re really providing this trail for a group of people who are now walking in the grass, or on a very busy road, and they’re going to have a safe place to walk and ride.”
Bishop said they’re really excited about the trail extension and all the possible trail extensions and connections being planned countywide.
Parks Board Vice President Aggie Sweeney said they recognize it’s important to engage members of the community in what the board is doing.
“We also want to invite the community to help us in supporting new projects, both through volunteerism and potentially through contributions,” she said. “So we’re starting an organization that’s called Friends of the Trails.”
People at the groundbreaking were encouraged to sign up for more information on Friends of the Trails via email.

    The Kosciusko Parks and Recreation Board has been planning for the Chinworth Bridge Trail Extension Project for a while. At the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for the project, cookies with the board’s logo were available. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

John Nelson, the project’s engineering liaison from VS Engineering Inc., said he will be out to the project almost daily checking on the contractor for the project, Niblock Excavating. He said Niblock should be mobilizing some pieces for the project at the end of April, and will start May 1. They will work through the end of July trying to build the trail extension.
“For those of you who live in the area, please be patient with construction. It’s going to be ongoing through May, June and July. It’s a 10-foot-wide asphalt path inside the right-of-way,” Nelson said. “We’re also doing some drainage structures along the edge of the asphalt, because we don’t want to mess with the ditch, there’s too many utilities in there, there’s a drainage problem. We’re trying to make better over year at the ponds.”
They will be putting in a pedestrian crosswalk at the intersection that will be lit up when anybody’s there. The light is motion activated so whenever an adult, child or even a dog approaches, it’ll turn on.
“All driveways will remain open, and they’ll keep accessing in and out so that shouldn’t be a problem to any residents,” Nelson stated.
Roe and Bishop pointed out and gave thanks to Greg Steffe, president of the Kosciusko County Historical Society, owner of the Chinworth Bridge park; Steve Moriarty, Kosciusko County Highway Department superintendent; Marsha McSherry, Kosciusko County administrator; Ride+Walk Committee members; Craig Allebach, Winona Lake town manager; Michiana Area Council of Governments; and Stephanie Overbey, Kosciusko County Community Foundation CEO.