The Logan Village to Yarrabilba Rail Trail is now open.
The 3.5km trail extends through native bushland and will link Logan Village Green to Buxton Park via Blossom Street in Yarrabilba.
The 2.5m wide asphalt pathway is designed for walking, jogging, hiking and horse riding.
The trail is built on the de-commissioned Bethania to Beaudesert rail corridor which is now a Logan City Council-managed road reserve.
It will cross Waterford Tamborine Road at the intersection with Anzac Avenue to provide a dedicated off-street connection along Logan Street to the Village Green.
The trail features a watercourse crossing, flood mitigation, access-control bollards and wayfinding and custom-designed entry signage.
The repurposed ironwork on the entry signs features designs originally crafted by local blacksmith Alan Ball for the old bandstand at the Logan Village Green.
Other parts of the ironwork include designs by local artists that reference the original train line, river barges, a nearby former WWII army base and local fauna and flora.
The $2.6 million project is a joint initiative of Logan City Council and the Queensland Government and included $2million in funding from the Queensland Government's Unite and Recover Community Stimulus program.
The project also attracted $200,000 for the feasibility study and design stage from the Queensland Government's Rail Trails Local Government Grants Program.
Council also hosted a community consultation day in September 2020 at Logan Village to seek input from landowners and the community on the Rail Trail concept and design.
Economic Development Chair, Acting Mayor Jon Raven, said the Rail Trail was a priority project based on community feedback from that consultation day and a Council-hosted Logan Village Forum in 2018.
"The Rail Trail is an important link between the high-growth suburb of Yarrabilba and the shops, businesses and services in Logan Village," Cr Raven said.
"It is expected to help boost the local economy while local residents can also use the rail trail for exercise, relaxing and enjoying the natural environment."
City Lifestyle Chair and Division 4 Councillor, Laurie Koranski, said the Rail Trail and the recently completed Logan Village River Link shared pathway would help better connect the local community.
"Parks, trails and greenways are incredibly important to local residents." Cr Koranski said.
"Walkers and cyclists can now traverse a picturesque segment of the old Canungra spur line to connect the oldest and newest areas of our city.
"With the Logan Village to Yarrabilba trail now open, I look forward to continuing to deliver our community's vision according to the summit outcomes."
State Member for Logan, Linus Power MP, said construction of the Rail Trail had provided local jobs and had helped the City of Logan recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This joint initiative between the Queensland Government and Logan City Council has delivered a much-needed and safe off-road connection between historic Logan Village and the booming Yarrabilba community," Mr Power said.
