A Raccoon River Valley Trail project that has been in the works for several years now finally has the funds to move forward.

The “Waukee Railroad Pergola – in the shadow of the rails” project has been selected to receive more than $147,000 from Vision Iowa’s Community Attraction and Tourism grant program. This completes the fundraising needed for the $1.1 million project.

Bob Wilson with the Perry Chamber says all communities along the trail will likely benefit from this project.

“It should be a very, very beautiful thing and a nice attraction, give another reason for people to come out of the metro and check it out.  What we hope to (do) is eventually bring that same type of public art theme of it, or a portion of it, along the trail as well.  We need people to keep going on the trail, once they leave the metro and get into Waukee we want them to come up to Perry and we want them to keep going all the way around.  Or eventually with the (Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail) connector, they’ll realize they can take the connector back into the metro through the Woodward route.”

Construction of the Waukee pergola is expected to start next month and they hope to have it completed by next summer.