Shawano Pathways and the Shawano County Friends of the Mountain Bay Trail will host a Hard Hat pre-opening party from 5-8 p.m. May 2 at the almost-complete Mountain-Bay Trail Information Center, 620 S. Main St., Shawano.
The event will include gourmet hors d’oeurves, beer, wine, signature mocktails and special behind-the-scenes tours of the center. The event is a fundraiser for the new center and for trail maintenance projects.
The center is housed in the middle section of the former Chicago and North Western train depot next to the trail in downtown Shawano connected to All Aboard Nutrition. The center is a gateway to the Shawano community, which is midway on the Mountain-Bay State Trail. If final funds are raised in time, the groups hope to open the information center for peak biking and walking season.
Party admission is $50. To register, visit shawanopathways.org, click on the Events tab and go to “Trail Information Center Fundraiser.” Walk-ins are also welcome.
The center will offer restrooms, Wi-Fi, a trail map, bottle-filling station, bike repair station, and information on food, lodging, and other area amenities. It will also feature displays about the history of rail service in Shawano County.
“Our goal is to raise funds to help improve trail conditions,” said Pathways president Nancy Brown-Koeller. “Better trail conditions benefit all trail users and put Shawano County on the map as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, and a trail information center is a key part of that.”
The 83-mile trail runs through from Wausau to Green Bay, with 53 miles running through Shawano County from Eland to Pulaski. Built in 1996, the trail offers a space to walk or bike.
“We’re going to dedicate one of the walls to train memorabilia to highlight the impact the railroad had in Shawano County,” said Friends president Doreen Dudek, “and we’re working with historians and train enthusiasts to create an engaging display.”
The center is being funded in part by a matching grant from the Harold Pevonka Healthy Hearts Fund, part of the Shawano Area Community Foundation. The fund will match up to $20,000 for every dollar donated by July 2024.
Pathways and Friends of the Mountain Bay Trail members have been working since last fall with Shawano Park Director Matt Hendricks and staff, Radtke-Reuter Electric, and many volunteers to design and remodel the former bike shop space. Passersby can see the new 20- by 30-foot concrete approach and colorful adirondack chairs outside the door. Interior improvements include insulation, drywall, wiring, lighting, epoxy floor, new ceiling, siding work, and installation of entry doors and windows.
Additional projects to be completed in the coming months will include security cameras, history displays, a donor wall, brochure racks, and bike racks.
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