Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD) is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking an important milestone for the agency and its mission to develop a regional system of parks and interconnected trails in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis.

MEPRD has invested approximately $32.8 million into the region’s parks and trails to date, for a total of 199 park and trail projects (40 of which remain ongoing) and a combined valuation that exceeds $153.2 million, according to a news release issued by the agency. The District also estimates that approximately 105 miles of the 215+ miles of existing shared-use paths (bike trails) in Madison and St. Clair counties were developed or improved in part by MEPRD.

The progress attained over the District’s 20-year history has been made possible by its 63 unique project partners, including Madison County Transit District (MCT), St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) and others, said the news release.