HOWARD (NBC 26) — More than 120 single family homes have been built in Howard so far this year, and with all that development comes an opportunity the village doesn't want to miss.
- Get a bird's eye view of two spots in Howard where the village is planning to add new trails
- The village hopes to connect their trail system with both the Fox River and Mountain Bay Trails
- If you see room for amenities, the village might be able to help out with in your neighborhood; contact your trustee or the village office at (920) 434-4640
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
The village of Howard has had lots of development this year and they're using it to accomplish bigger goals. I'm your Howard neighborhood reporter Pari Apostolakos, where the village is trying to make connections in their trail system.
Howard Village Administrator Paul Evert says more than 120 new homes have been built in Howard so far this year.
"It's been a booming year for single family homes," he said. "One of our biggest years in the last 20."
Along with those new subdivisions comes an opportunity the village doesn't want to miss.
"Howard has a pretty robust system of trails, but there are gaps along the way, which we recognize," Evert said. "But as development comes forward, we do our best to get land dedicated by developers, or when land becomes available for sale that we can buy it and get a trail in."
The village hopes to eventually connect their trail system to the Mountain Bay Trail to the northeast and the Fox River Trail to the south. They’re making progress at two subdivisions which are now under construction.
Near Antwerp Avenue, the village has already put in some new trails on land around the retention pond required to be there because of the new homes.
They also plan to start adding trail ways on the southeast side of the village near Hidden Creek Trail, where the developer donated 20 acres to the village, next year.
"So if people think we're building trails to nowhere it's only temporarily to nowhere," Evert said. "Its like little bites of the apple ... It's fun when we get a nice connection made and people pretty quickly figure it out and start using it."
Evert says near Hidden Creek Trail, there will be eventually be a pedestrian bridge over Duck Creek, but that won't happen until 2028.
