National Park Service Continues Towpath Construction – Trail to Re-Open Evenings and Weekends August 10
For Immediate Release Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Pamela Barnes, 440-546-5994, 440-241-5857 (cell), or pamela_barnes@nps.gov
Brecksville, Ohio – The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail will remain closed between Deep Lock Quarry and Hunt House due to ongoing construction to replace steel pedestrian bridges through August 10.
The project experienced delays due to a wet spring and once underway, workers encountered an original Ohio & Erie Canal stone culvert at the construction site. Therefore, work at this site has stopped and the National Park Service staff are working together to 1) determine the limits of the culvert within the construction site and 2) design a new abutment that will avoid harmful effects and allow the project to proceed.
A temporary detour bridge around this site will be available for public use when the closure is partially lifted August 10. When construction resumes at this site, the trail section will be closed during active construction periods and the detour will be open after daytime work hours and weekends.
Two sections of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail were closed beginning December 2017, and were estimated to continue through June 2018. One of four replacement pedestrian bridges was completed in May, enabling the trail section from Boston Store to Deep Lock Quarry to re-open. Two of the remaining three will be complete by August 10. The last remaining bridge will continue construction with the partial re-opening.
The closure is necessary for public safety during construction.
About Cuyahoga Valley National Park
CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural activities in one setting. It generates over 2.3 million visits and an economic impact of $203 million annually. For more information visit www.nps.gov/cuva or call 330-657-2752.
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Knox County News
Come Explore the Ohio to Erie Trail in Delaware County
Last Sunday Trail Bike/Walk
6/24, 7/29, 8/26 & 9/30, 2018, 2 p.m.
Starting at Galena’s Depot Lot, 268 N. Walnut St.
(Beside the Galena Cemetery)
Join us for an 8-mile bike ride or shorter walk to explore the Ohio to Erie Trail in Delaware County.
Delaware County Friends of the Trail will provide
- an overview of local Ohio to Erie Trail progress,
- a bike safety overview,
- light refreshments,
- tire pump and basic bicycle tools.
Bicycle helmets are required for cyclists.
The event may be cancelled in the event of rain.
Friends of the Little Miami State Park News
Holmes County Trail Benefit Auction
14th Annual Holmes County Rails to Trails Coalition Auction
June 9
Millersburg Depot/Hipp Station
Bring your family and friends and join us for a Saturday of enjoyment, plus make an investment in Holmes County’s unique non-motorized transportation and recreation corridor.
Learn More – Auction Brochure
News from Wayne County
Click above to read about news from Wayne County
The Latest Tow Path Times
Friends of the Little Miami Trail News
Friends of the Little Miami State Park Trail News
The Latest Towpath Times
Friends of the Little Miami State Park Trail News
Public invited to Ariel-Foundation Park opening day reception
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Ariel-Foundation Park will hold an opening day reception on Saturday, March 31, in the Urton Clock House/Museum, from noon until 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be available.
While the park does not officially open for the 2018 season until Monday, April 2, this reception will be a time for the public to learn about upcoming events at the park like the free concert and movie series. Guests can also explore the Museum and discover volunteer opportunities.
During this time, Foundation Park Conservancy will also debut the brand new Learning Stations project, an ongoing collaborative effort among Kenyon College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Central Ohio Technical College faculty and students. Attendees can browse the learning stations online.
Several learning stations have been designed to enhance the on-site park experience for visitors of all ages, as well as provide an online educational tool for anyone, anywhere, to enjoy the holistic story about the park, the areas around it, and the Knox County community, including natural ecology, industrial history, society, and culture. Information about other sites in and around the park will be added in the future. More learning stations will be added over time and instructions on how to use them will be found in the park kiosks and on the park website.
For more information about the opening day reception or anything regarding Ariel-Foundation Park, please call 740-398-6603 or e-mail marketing@arielfoundationpark.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL TRAIL OPENING DAY ON THE OHIO TO ERIE TRAIL IN GALENA APRIL 7
Westerville, OH, March 23, 2018 – Join the Delaware County Friends of the Trail for a family-friendly trail ride or walk celebrating Galena’s newest trail on National Trail Opening Day, Saturday, April 7.
Area residents including families, those newer to bicycling and those interested in local trails are invited to gather at 10 a.m. at the Galena Brick Trail trailhead in the 200-block of North Walnut Street near the Galena Cemetery. DCFT will have light refreshments, tire pumps and basic bicycle tools available.
The approximately eight-mile bicycle route will include the newest section of the Galena Brick Trail with picturesque views from the railroad trestle high over Little Walnut Creek, Preservation Parks of Delaware County’s Hoover Scenic Trail beside Hoover Reservoir, and the tree-lined Genoa Trail in Genoa Township.
DCFT volunteers will lead the ride and provide an introduction to basic ride safety as well as a brief overview of the Ohio to Erie Trail in eastern Delaware County. The ride will be on trails except for short connections on Dustin, Old 3C and Plumb roads. The ride will take approximately one hour based on an average speed of 10 to 12 miles per hour.
Ride participants must have helmets and should bring water and dress appropriately for the weather.
Those who prefer to walk are encouraged to stroll along the Galena Brick Trail, pause for views of the Little Walnut Creek and Hoover Reservoir in the distance and turn around where the trail meets Dustin Road.
The event may be cancelled in the event of rain or snow.
This sixth annual National Trail Opening Day is recognized by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy to celebrate the kick off of the spring trail season where people across the nation hit their favorite trails for a ride, walk, run or special event.
The Ohio to Erie Trail spans the state from the Ohio River in the southwestern corner of the state to Lake Erie near Cleveland, with about 280 miles of paved trails and about 50 miles on streets and rural roads.
In Delaware County, the trail passes from Westerville through Galena and Sunbury toward a short planned connection in northwest Licking County and on to the Heart of Ohio Trail in Knox County. DCFT is working with the villages of Sunbury and Galena, Preservation Parks of Delaware County and the Ohio to Erie Trail Fund to complete the approximately 13-mile section of the Ohio to Erie Trail through the eastern part of the county.
The DCFT is a nonprofit trail advocacy group dedicated to the development and maintenance of multi-use trails for recreation and transportation in Delaware County. Learn more at dcft.org or visit us on Facebook.
Complete the Heartland Trail
We are excited to announce that Rails-to-Trails and the City of Orrville were recently notified that their application for grant funds for the next phase of The Heartland Trail was approved!
Our goal is to build the 2.4 mile section of trail from Forrer Road, Orrville to Marshallville in 2018.
In order to receive the $500,000 grant from the Clean Ohio Trail Funds from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, we must fully fund the remaining costs.
Will you help us continue to
enhance the quality of life in Wayne County?
Our current objective is to raise $200,000
to donate online via PayPal or credit card.
Q&A
Q: I already made a donation to the Heartland Trail that qualifies to be on the plaque. What happens if I give more now?
A: Thank you for your previous donation! We encourage you to consider moving up a level with your additional gift. Regardless, every donation of every size will move us closer to completing the trail!
Levels of Giving for Plaque:
$250 = Bronze level. $500 = Silver Level
$1,000 = Gold Level. $2,500 = Platinum Level
$2,500 – Bench with name plaque. $10,000 = Mile Marker with name plaque.
Q: Can I make a donation with my credit card rather than writing a check?
A: Yes! See click link above.
However, if you prefer to send a check, please make it out to RTWC and mail it to PO Box 1566, Wooster, Ohio 44691
Q: Have funds secured for the Heartland Trail been spent before the grant was received?
A: Yes. The engineering and environmental studies have been completed and other expenses such as maintenance and preparation of the entire length of the Heartland Trail have been paid.
Q: Why is this campaign so urgent? Could you postpone the project until more money comes in?
A: We have been eagerly awaiting the trail completion between Orrville and Marshallville. We need the match for the $500,000 grant before we bid in early 2018 so that we can complete the 2.4 miles of trail.
Q: Once this section is done, what are the plans for the next phase?
A: We are currently engineering the connection between the 1st mile of trail in Orrville and Forrer Road. Our next priority will be to connect the trail at Main Street in Orrville to Forrer Road
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