BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation is celebrating major milestones toward the completion of the Griffy Lake Loop Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Griffy Lake dam on December 15 at 11:30 a.m.
An official trail across the top of the Griffy Lake dam, with timber access stairs, is complete, as is the new 4.5-mile South Shore Trail.
Construction of the South Shore Trail began in April 2023, following the completion of the accessible sidepath along Headley Road. The 2018 Bicentennial “Trees and Trails” Bond provided funding for the South Shore Trail.
In April, the Board of Park Commissioners approved a contract for $210,625 with Spectrum Trail Design to design and build the South Shore Trail, which connects the dam to the Griffy Lake boathouse via the accessible sidepath along Headley Road.
Contractor Scenic Construction built a trail, stairway access, and fence across the top of the dam for $348,420. Funding for the construction came from the North Kinser-Prow Road Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district. The new access staircase allows trail users to park below the dam to access trails on both the south and north shores.
Guest speakers Mayor John Hamilton and representatives from Parks and Recreation and the Board of Park Commissioners will present a short program at Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a guided hike on the South Shore Trail.
Plans are underway to construct a new North Shore Trail at Griffy Lake to complete the Griffy Loop Trail.
For more information about the Griffy Lake Loop Trail, contact Bloomington Parks and Recreation at 812-349-3700 or parks@bloomington.in.gov, or visit the Griffy Lake Loop Trail project website.
