Cedar Trails Partnership Information

Early on it was suggested the CTP organize a festival to publicize and promote the trail system. This immediately became the organization's focus, and in August 1996, the first Cedar Trails Festival was held, a four-day extravaganza featuring more than a dozen events, including the "Light Up the Night Ride," which has since become the festival's signature event. The focus of the CTP remained trail advocacy, with a CTP representative gaining an advisory seat on the MPO, its technical committee, and the enhancement committee; and on organizing the annual trails festival. In 1998, the CTP began to take a more proactive approach to trails issues. The CTP acted as a facilitating agency, drawing together all of the municipalities and agencies with trails oversight to develop a coherent and consistent policy on privately-donated benches and other trail enhancements. Working with law enforcement and governing agencies, the CTP also organized a volunteer Cedar Trail Patrol to provide security and assistance to trail users. These components of the partnership remain vital today.