Barnesville Receives Grant for Park Trails
Barnesville Memorial Park trails will receive a makeover thanks to a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The ODOT grant, named Barnesville Recreational Trails Grant, is for recreational connectivity. The grant will be used for updating existing trails in the park including the Ray Palmer trail, which has been closed for a few years due to its rough condition.
The Palmer trail is a memorial trail that was developed and funded through a grant to the village. Palmer (1896-1976) was the longtime publisher of the Barnesville Enterprise, served as an Ohio senator, and was active in Ohio Republican circles.
The Belomar Regional Council awarded Barnesville funding through an Ohio Department of Transportation grant that will update park trails, including the Palmer trail that is currently closed due to its deteriorated condition. ©Barnesville Area News Company photo.
The Belomar Regional Regional Council is the regional transportation planning agency covering Ohio, Mashall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia and Belmont County in Ohio. The program is administered with separate funding sources, including ODOT funds with a designated annual budget that can be used specifically in covered counties.
For this trail project, Belomar allotted $150,000 to Barnesville. The grant requires a 20% match, meaning the village must contribute $30,000, bringing the project total to $180,000.
ODOT is currently experiencing a three-year backlog to get a project administered and underway, however.
To expedite the local project, park director Richie Wells completed an ODOT project management training program and is certified to administer the project.
First, the project needs to be designed. Once that step is complete, the village will seek quotes and select a contractor to carry out the work, according to Mayor Jake Hershberger.
The project does not currently have a timeframe, but the village has goals and plans, Wells said.
The Palmer trail will receive priority because it needs a lot of work, Hershberger added.
Wells said the other trails are stoned and widened, but the Palmer trail has tree damage, is extremely steep and includes a deteriorated bridge over the creek.
The plan for the Palmer trail is to completely remove the steps at the current trail head and move it north nearer the Artworks Shelter, formerly known as the the American Legion shelter. The trail will connect to the road in the same general area as before but it will be widened and not as steep.
“We’re going to take a different angle to the creek, kind of meander down instead of going straight,” Wells said, “and make it wide enough so our equipment can pass like our other trails, so we can maintain it.”
The village will put in a culvert where the trail currently crosses a bridge. Benches will be placed at the end of the trail.
“It’s basically to connect the upper part of the park behind the big ball field to the rest of the trails in the lake area,” Wells said.
According to Wells, other existing trails are in good shape but some have runoff issues on a couple hills. Depending on funding, the village will also fix drainage issues.
Barnesville park trails will be updated through an Ohio Department of Transportation grant from Belomar Regional Council. ©Barnesville Area News Company photo.
“The hope is to get the Palmer trail on the same playing field as the others, so it’s all one cohesive trail system,” he said.
The Belomar Regional Council awarded Barnesville funding through an Ohio Department of Transportation grant that will also update park trails that have runoff issues. ©Barnesville Area News Company photo.
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