Search
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 9, 2005

MORE THAN $1,000,000 RECOMMENDED FOR
14 OHIO COMMUNITY TRAIL PROJECTS

Projects include creating new trails and improving others

COLUMBUS, OH - Fourteen community trail projects have been recommended to receive a total of $1,137,220 in grants from the federal Recreational Trails Program, by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The grants support a variety of projects to create new trails and enhance others.

“These grants will help to expand and improve the state’s growing network of recreational trails, offering a healthy array of outdoor experiences for Ohioans of every age and ability,” said ODNR Director Sam Speck.

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration and a portion of the federal gasoline tax support the Recreational Trails Program, which is administered in Ohio by ODNR. The department reviews local applications and recommends grant recipients for final federal approval. That approval is expected in the next several months.

The federal government provides up to 80 percent reimbursement for trail projects through each grant, while local project sponsors are responsible for the remaining amount.

Of the 46 applications received in February 2004, 14 were recommended to receive grants. Among the largest grants recommended are: $200,000 to the Medina County Park District in Medina County for construction of a paved trail, an expansion of the Buckeye Woods Park trail system; a combined $319,720 to U.S. Forest Service, benefiting Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio, for educational programming, trail restoration, and maintenance and upgrade of all-terrain vehicle and off-highway motorcycle trails; and $80,000 to the City of Troy in Miami County for construction of an asphalt trail and bridge over the Great Miami River.

More than 140 local trail projects across the state have received more than $8.8 million in federal funds through ODNR since the Recreational Trails Program began in 1993.

Below is a list of recommended recipients of 2004 Recreational Trails Project grants

County Applicant Project Amount
Ashland Mohican State Park Lyons Falls Trails $5,000
Athens Wayne National Forest Off-Road Vehicle Trail Maintenance Training - Education Workshop $24,000
Geauga Geauga Park District Frohring Meadows Community Trail Development $70,000
Greene Greene County Parks District Ellis Spur $50,000
Hamilton City of Madeira McDonald Commons Trail: Phase I $100,000
Hocking Wayne National Forest Monday Creek Long Ridge Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Maintenance/Restroom Replacement $179,000
Holmes Holmes County Rails to Trails Coalition Holmes County Trail $34,500
Lawrence Wayne National Forest Hanging Rock Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Maintenance $116,720
Logan Indian Lake State Park Oldfield Island Trail $80,000
Medina Medina County Park District Chippewa North Trail $200,000
Miami City of Troy Treasure Island Trail Extension $80,000
Monroe Village of Woodsfield Airport Road Walkway $70,000
Montgomery Jackson Township Farmersville/Jackson Township Park Connector $100,000
Warren Village of Morrow Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail Parking Area $28,000

TOTAL   $1,137,220

-30-

For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com

For Further Information Contact:
Bill Daehler, ODNR Division of Real Estate & Land Management
(614) 265-6402
-or-
Andrea Misko, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882