HAYWARD — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has inked the purchase agreements necessary to extend the Blazing Star Trail from Myre-Big Island State Park to Hayward.

That means the land acquisition is secured and construction is slated to start in spring 2012.

Officials with the DNR, Hayward, Austin and Albert Lea met Wednesday evening at the Hayward City Hall to hear the announcement.

The corridor was acquired from three individual landowners and two power companies. About four miles of trail will be built, one mile in Myre-Big Island State Park and the rest through Hayward to gravel 816th Avenue east of Hayward.

“We are grateful to these landowners for their willingness to sell or donate land for the trail. The trail route will generally follow the south side of the railroad betweeen Albert Lea and Hayward,” said DNR acquisition and development specialist Steve Hennessy in a letter to Freeborn County Commissioner Dan Belshan.

The project calls for the construction of a 1,900-foot bridge over Albert Lea Lake on the south side of the railroad bridge.

Presently, the Blazing Star Trail begins at Frank Hall Park and ends about seven miles later in Myre-Big Island State Park. The long-term goal is for the trail to connect Albert Lea and Austin.

Hayward City Council member Mike Hansen said people vested in the project are grateful to the Paulson family that owns property on the east side of Albert Lea Lake for donating the land where the bridge would reach the east shore.

“They were very gracious to donate that,” he said.

The Legislature first authorized the existence of the Blazing Star Trail in 1996. Initial funding came in 1998, and it took five years until the land deals were done so the trail could be built into Myre-Big Island State Park. The city of Hayward built a restroom in 2003, in anticipation of the trail bringing tourists to town.

In 2005, the state Legislature authorized $1.47 million in the bonding bill, with the aim of getting the trail to Hayward. That funding had a five-year spending deadline, but during the 2010 legislative session, the Legislature extended the deadline to June 2014.

Hansen said the DNR doesn’t have the necessary funds to complete the work of the stretch to Hayward. DNR officials said they likely will put the trail pavement down and wait for funds to complete the pile-driven bridge.