City to Host Visitors for Flint Hills Trail Achievements

The City of Osawatomie will soon host a number of statewide visitors to celebrate recent achievements of the Flint Hills Trail State Park, which begins at Osawatomie's "Mile Zero" trailhead.

On October 29th, 2022, City of Osawatomie staff will begin the day by welcoming our invited and honored guests at 545 Main Street for a private breakfast and presentation on Osawatomie's sustainability initiatives, including an awards ceremony recognizing the winners of a poster designing contest held within Osawatomie Middle School classrooms. Following breakfast and the student awards, City staff will be hosting the first public Community Forum for its Electric Vehicle (EV) and Charging Station project (Osawatomie "Charging Forward") until 10:00am. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the forum to learn more about the project and its goals, and to ask questions one-on-one with City staff and Metropolitan Energy Center representatives.

Following the forum, we invite the community and our guests to gather at the Mile Zero trailhead (located at 1400 South Street) to celebrate the achievements of the Flint Hills Trail State Park and enjoy appearances from community and trail partners. The program features representatives from the State of Kansas, Federal Highway Administration, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and more who will remark on the Federal Highway Administration's Environmental Excellence Award and the U.S. Department of Transportation's RAISE grant award, which awarded the Flint Hills Trail State Park $24.8 million.

After a group photo under the iconic arched sign, cyclists will depart for Ottawa, Kansas, and enjoy a complimentary lunch at Ottawa's Legacy Square Park before returning to Osawatomie and ending the afternoon.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the day's festivities beginning with the Community Forum at 9:00am at 545 Main Street. The "there and back again" trail ride is also open to all, and is a self-paced ride. Riders are expected to support themselves and know their limits and abilities. Ottawa Bike and Trail, lunch sponsor and proud supporter of Kansas trails, ask that riders please RSVP to help ensure an accurate headcount for lunch.

TO REGISTER FOR THE TRAIL RIDE AND COMPLIMENTARY LUNCH, PLEASE RSVP HERE.