State Fair Community College has been awarded a Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grant for $43,677.

School officials say the grant will be used to complete three new sections of walking paths on the Sedalia campus. The pathways will use approximately 23,000 pounds of recycled material made from 100 percent Missouri recycled tires.

According to a press release, one walking path will be from the southwest corner of the Yeater Learning Center around the south side of the pond along the road to connect to the sidewalk leading to the Potter-Ewing Agriculture Building.

Another path will connect the Lions Club Pavilion (behind the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center) with the side walk on the west side of the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art. These two paths are phase one of a two-phase plan to create a walking path around the entire pond.

Facilities Management Director Justin O’Neal says, “These paths will provide safe walkways for students traveling between buildings and is in line with the campus master plan to create a connected campus. We are pleased we can accomplish this goal using recycled materials that reduces waste in our landfills.”

The last path will complete about a 60-foot section in the east loop of the walking track on the northwest side of campus along 16th Street. This new section will provide a better experience for students, employees and community members who use the walking track.

The Missouri General Assembly reauthorized the 50-cent scrap tire fee applied to retail sales of every new tire during the 2019 legislative session.

Officials say the Missouri DNR is authorized to allocate up to 45 percent of the funds generated by this fee for grants to develop scrap tire markets or encourage scrap tire use in new products and various applications such as playgrounds and non-playground surfaces. The goal is to reduce landfill waste by promoting recycling projects in Missouri.