Elkhart County, IN
CREATING A SUPERHIGHWAY FOR TRAIL CONNECTIVITY
The Community Foundation of Elkhart County engaged a team led Yard & Co. to develop Connect In Elkhart County, a mobility master plan for Elkhart County. The project was supported by the Community Foundation’s Placemaking Committee, whose goal is to create open communities in Elkhart County that inspire, attract, engage, and connect people to enrich their living experience. The Yard team, working with Toole Design Group, was responsible for: assessing the gaps in the county’s existing trail system; actively engaging the community about its future; developing conceptual and specific design recommendations; and creating strategies for how the trail system will create new development opportunities. The team also provided branding and story-telling support for both educational and fundraising purposes, as well as operational building to quickly transition the plan into implementation.
Services
Planning | Branding | Operations
Timeframe
2021
Client
Community Foundation of Elkhart County
Location
Elkhart County, Indiana
PROBLEM
How can Elkhart County improve its quality of place and catch up with competing regions in terms of trail connectivity?
SOLUTION
Develop a master plan, “Connect in Elkhart County,” which outlines six priorities focused on building a world-class trail system.
ACTION
Facilitate an operating entity and strategic plan, seed the launch of a trail organization, create a trail development fund, establish a demonstration project lending library, support place-based communities, and dedicate funds for trail activation.
