The City of Fort Wayne got closer to the funding it needs to fully complete the Pufferbelly Trail Thursday. Local businessman Jim Vann, who was once a shareholder and the chairperson of Rea Magnet Wire, announced he is giving the city a gift of $5 million from his family’s foundation to help finish the trail.
Last week, the Fort Wayne City Council approved funding for completion of the final local portion of the trail, but that fell short of the money needed to connect the two portions of the trail in Fort Wayne.
The money from the Vann Foundation will help fund construction of a walking bridge over Coliseum Boulevard on the west side of Bob Thomas Ford and Mission Barbecue.
According to a statement from Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker, it will cross Coliseum at nearly the exact spot that the New York Central Railroad Corridor crossed the road years ago.
In that statement, Vann said “The bridge is our way of saying thank you to the late Mayor Tom Henry and Mayor Tucker, to all Rea employees, and to our citizens for creating such a special place to live and work. We are proud to call Fort Wayne our home.”
Officials said additional funding will be needed for the bridge. They said they expect to bid the project out next year with construction in 2026.
