9 & 10 News
Empire native is now U-M student in Urban Planning
March 3, 2021
An idea to link two popular trail systems in Leelanau County is gaining traction thanks to the work of a college student.
That student is a Leelanau County native and grew up in Empire, but he’s studying Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. Rowan Brady says, the idea came to him over the past year after spending a lot more time outdoors during COVID. “A lot of people including myself were really focused more towards outdoor activities. I really saw the opportunity in both the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and the Leelanau Trail as a great benefit to the county.” He says, “As I was biking along the trails I really wished that the two trails were connected so I ride from one side to the other.”