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County park district dedicates new leg of the Greenway Trail

By MARY ANN GREIER 4 min read

LISBON -- Columbiana County Park District board members dedicated the newest 1-mile leg of the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail along state Route 154 Friday, stressing it's part of a bigger plan to reach the Ohio River and possibly beyond.

"We've heard a lot of comments about the trail to nowhere," board Vice Chair Tom Butch said, discounting that notion by saying the trail is actually part of a longterm vision.

"It's not a trail to nowhere, but a trail to Washington, D.C.," he said.

Planning started more than 30 years ago with the Great Ohio Lake to River Greenway Coalition's dream to have a trail stretch from Lake Erie to the Ohio River, meandering through Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.

The Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition has an even bigger dream for a trail that travels through Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York, known also as the iHeart Trails, with the backing of the Rails to Trails Conservancy, which could connect to other trail systems.

"Our trail once it's completed is going to be one of the main corridors of that trail," he said.

The new section ends at the park & ride on state Route 154 and travels through the streets of Lisbon to connect with the trail off of south state Route 164, extending the length of the Little Beaver Creek Greenway Trail to 14.8 miles.

"Our hope is this will help Lisbon as well. We want to help promote the village of Lisbon," Board Chair Eileen Dray-Bardon said.

Due to the rainy weather, the dedication didn't make the trip to the new trailhead, but instead board members and those who played a part in the $1.2 million project gathered at the PL&W Train Station trailhead where Dray-Bardon thanked all involved, starting with fellow board member Dottie Betz.

Betz applied for the federal Transportation Alternatives Fund grant which was awarded in 2017 to pay for the construction of the new trail section.

Dray-Bardon reviewed the long history of the project, noting that a Clean Ohio grant awarded in 2018 covered the cost of design and engineering. The district also received some capital budget money from the state of Ohio and the Columbiana County commissioners gave some money to help cover the match needed for the TAP grant.

Besides thanking the Ohio Department of Transportation for all of its help, including Greg Gurney, Dray-Bardon thanked the engineering firm MS Consultants for their work, the county commissioners for their support, Lisbon Mayor Peter Wilson and members of Lisbon Village Council for their support and help in figuring out the challenges at the east side of the village for the route, and the park district maintenance and office staff.

While the project was delayed by the pandemic, the prices for construction also went up and ODOT was able to secure more TAP funding to cover the increased costs.

Elkrun Township Tourism donated $5,000 which was used for the kiosk construction done by students at the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center and Heather and Wayne Reed of Elkrun Township donated $1,000 for plantings and benches, some which still needs to be done. Scout Troop 3 of Salem First Presbyterian Church planted wildflowers. Building students from CCCTC who built the kiosk included Thomas Elston, Deven Fox, Liam Garzanich, Caden Oiler, Chris Oiler and Gavin Vitullo.

"I'm delighted and happy that we're adding more miles," Betz said.

She's been member of the board since the trail first opened in 2000 between Leetonia and Lisbon. The trail was last extended in 2011 when the leg from Leetonia to Washingtonville was built. A section of the trail between Leetonia and Franklin Square was repaved in 2019.

Wilson, who was in attendance at the dedication, along with Lisbon Councilwoman Linda Donnalley, said the trail extension brings a lot of positives to the village.

He said the trail goes right through downtown, via the village streets, and he encourages users to stop and try a cup of coffee or have lunch and explore what the village offers.

"We're looking for an influx of visitors that will hopefully boost our local businesses," he said, adding that Lincoln Way is also part of the North Country Trail.

Besides maintaining the trail, the county park district operates Scenic Vista Park which covers 250-plus acres in Center Township and includes an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking trails and pavilion, Hellbender Bluff Park covering 800 acres in Madison Township, and the historical Ohio Supreme Court meeting site marker on state Route 7 in Fairfield Township.

To learn more about the park district and all it offers, visit the website at www.columbianacountyparkdistrict.org or the district's social media page for the list of activities for this year.

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