Active Living

GIS Mapping & Community Trails

Did you know we have more than 100 miles of trails within Grand Rapids as of 2020? That is double what we found of more than 50 miles of trails within the Grand Rapids city limits in 2010. This impressive total was discovered through a GIS data collection project funded by Get Fit Itasca in the summer of 2009. This was exciting news for us! We want to share this news with you so you can utilize these tremendous city resources and increase your physical activity!

Grand Rapids Area Trail Map - pdf file

With support from the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP), Get Fit Itasca has placed 5 kiosks throughout the City of Grand Rapids. The kiosks display maps that show all of the trails and sidewalks and will also hold information on the public transportation opportunities that are available in the community. Check them out!

Mission:

To ensure our community is built

to support physical activity.

Get Out, Get Moving, Get Fit Itasca!

Coleraine is making moves to improve their trail system

Coleraine Area Trail Map - pdf file

Did you know that you can park at Cotton Park in Coleraine and walk all the way out to the end of the peninsula of Trout Lake? Some of the trail was in need of repair, and the community stepped up. With funding support from the Itasca Trails Task Force, the fragmented section of the trail has been repaired - next will come a Coleraine Kiosk! Funded by Itasca Trails Task Force, SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Program), First National Bank of Coleraine, Get Fit Itasca, and the Beefy Lawson Memorial Fund the kiosk has been installed! If you would like to be a part of improving opportunities for active living in Coleraine please contact Cavour Johnson at 245-1250.

Get Fit Itasca: Helping the City of Grand Rapids Enable Active Transportation for all

Repairs to make accessibility curb cuts on the south end of Highway 169 were done in 2011. At the end of the 2010 season, The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MN/DOT) had some remaining project funds that were allocated for American Disabilities Act (ADA) compatibility. They did a call-out to the communities in the state. Grand Rapids was chosen as the community to receive these funds because of our knowledge of the need for specific repairs within the city.

Get Fit Itasca played a role in bringing these dollars and repairs to the City of Grand Rapids. During our GIS Project a Get Fit Itasca intern from ICC worked with the Geographical Information System (GIS) Technician of the City of Grand Rapids to collect data on the city’s trails and sidewalks. Information on the curb cuts, including whether they met current ADA compatibility throughout the city was recorded at this time. When MN/DOT sent out their request, the City of Grand Rapids had a compiled data base of what curb cuts needed to be repaired and updated.

City Engineer Tom Pagel was able to quickly put together a report that identified two areas of town that were in need of updates: the south end of US Highway 169 and the east end of US Highway 2. MN/DOT chose the City of Grand Rapids because of its proactivity in terms of street repair. Based on the dollars that were available and the volume of impact the repairs would have on the community, MN/DOT chose to make repairs to the south end of US Highway 169.