Short trail will make 'some big connections' in Lexington. It opens Saturday.

A short walking and bike trail that will connect two other trails in Lexington will officially open Saturday, city officials said Thursday.

The Hope Center trail is less than a half mile but it will connect the Legacy Trail, Lexington’s longest trail, to the Coolavin Rail Trail on West Sixth Street.

“The new trail is short, but it makes some big connections,” said Mayor Jim Gray.

The Hope Center trails starts across from the Hope Center shelter on Loudon Avenue and then crosses the railroad tracks and eventually connects to the Coolavin Trail along West Sixth Street.

Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman James Brown, whose district includes the new trail, said work will begin this summer on the final section of the Legacy Trail — from the North Side YMCA to the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden at the corner of Midland and Third streets. The trail will be 22 miles when completed.

"This ribbon cutting brings us one step closer to moving the trail through our downtown neighborhoods to its final stop at the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden,” Brown said.

The ribbon-cutting and celebration for the new trail will be at 4 p.m. In addition there will be a host of activities for adults and kids.

Those activities include:

• A Kids Bike Rodeo Parade at 3 p.m. (free decorations available).

• Music from 3-5 p.m.

• An Open House from 3-5 p.m. at Broke Spoke Community Bike Shop, 501 W. Sixth St.

• Food and refreshments for sale from 3-5 p.m. at West Sixth Brewing, 501 West Sixth St.

This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Short trail will make 'some big connections' in Lexington. It opens Saturday.."