Over 30 people attended a public meeting earlier this week to learn about the Marion County Park District plans to for a large grant they are applying for through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). While the park commissioners were happy with the turnout, they are seeking even more comments to help them win the grant.
The park district is competing for a Clean Ohio Trails Fund grant worth $499,371, which will be paired with a local match of $166,457, for a total project cost of $665,828. The local match for this phase has already been raised through donations and pledges from the Marion community.
The participation at the public meeting and any comments received give the park district “points” which make their application stronger in this highly competitive grant process.
If the grant is won, the park district plans to extend the Marion Tallgrass Trail’s existing pavement by about three miles, sealcoat the current 1,200 feet of pavement, and finish the remaining 400 feet of crushed stone shoulder left over from Phase I.
If there is money remaining, other plans could include a small amount of landscaping at the trailhead. The district also plans to install bollards at the trailhead and remove railroad ties and some other waste from earlier construction.
The trail is located at 2093 Holland Road West, about 1.8 miles west of Marion. Phase II will continue the trail west, crossing Herr Road and State Route 203, before crossing just south of the end of Hoch Road. The western terminus of the 3 miles is the near corner of Hickory Grove Lake campground.
Comments will be accepted until April 17, 2012 by mail at Marion County Park District, 222 West Center Street, Marion, OH 43302, or by using the "Contact Us" link at www.marioncountyparks.info. You can also visit their website to learn more about the trail and the other parks maintained by the district.
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