A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Saturday to dedicate the new Island Lake Trail Connector at the Green Oak Village Place mall.

The event, which is hosted by Friends of the Lakelands Trail and Friends of Island Lake Recreation Area will take place at 10am near the mall’s kiosk by JCPenney. The Trail is one of the final pieces in the Great Lake to Lake Trail that stretches from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. The new trail link was funded by a $300,000 donation from Michael Levine, a long-time supporter of the Lakeland Trail and major force behind completion of the Great Lake to Lake Trail. He will be at the grand opening ceremony, along with Ronald Olson, chief of the DNR Parks and Recreation Division; Paul Yauk, Michigan State Trails coordinator; and Green Oak Township Supervisor Mark St. Charles.

After the ribbon cutting, there will be three organized bike rides including a 6-mile ride to Spring Mill Pond and back, a 12-mile ride to Kent Lake and back and 22-mile ride to and around Kensington Metropark and back. There will be bike trip leaders for each of the three rides. (JK)