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South Russell group is on mission for trails
(by Joan Demirjian - July 15, 2009)
South Russell group is on mission for trails
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
Members of the South Russell Multipurpose Trail Foundation are working toward funding their mission of building trails through the village.
The plan calls for four to five miles of trails to be constructed on Bell Road and East Washington Street, mostly on Bell Road.
Members of the group are raising funds for the project, and, on July 11, they held a carwash at the Bell Station at Chillicothe (Route 306) and Bell roads.
Despite the rain, the group raised about $250 in donations in just over an hour. Another "rain date" carwash is scheduled for Aug. 8, according to Stephen Latkovic, president of the foundation.
Concurrently, the foundation has been working with the Chagrin Falls Safe Routes to School program.
Mr. Latkovic presented South Russell Village Council with an update Monday on the progress on that program.
Safe Routes to School is a federal program administered by the state. The local group which has been working on the project for about a year is submitting a travel plan to Ohio Department of Transportation, Mr. Latkovic said. The plan could include trails, crosswalks and possibly stop lights.
The group, made up by mostly residents of the school district, is seeking funding under the program and will be showing the state its plans for infrastructure and crosswalks.
Mr. Latkovic said the South Russell Multipurpose Trail Foundation has been involved from a standpoint of an extension to South Russell on Bell Road.
"Our foundation is helping them on how to use the program to build a trail in South Russell," he said.
It would allow students to walk or ride their bikes to Chagrin Falls Intermediate School on Philomethian Street, he said.
Children living in South Russell could use the trail extension to get to the school, Mr. Latkovic said.
"We are helping to focus on the trail that would allow students to safely travel to the school," he said. "We're helping to put the pieces together so they can get funding to build the trail."
Under the Safe Routes program, an initial trail might be built out of Chagrin Falls, possibly to the South Russell Village park, Mr. Latkovic said.
"We'll work with them on how it could be put in the overall plan," Mr. Latkovic said.
It is administered by the state and "anyone can start it in their area for their school," he said.
In the meantime, the South Russell Multipurpose Trail Foundation members are working the plan to offer a trail network for the community.
The foundation is conducting fund-raising events to fund a survey of most of the trail route.
"We're focusing right now on funding to do the preliminary survey work," Mr. Latkovic said.
It will be an opportunity to understand the more difficult areas to build the trails, such as wetlands, where it could cost more.
Many grant programs want to see what a group already has done, and a survey would put the foundation in a better position for securing a grant, Mr. Latkovic said.
The survey is expected to be done by CT Consultants, he said. Building the actual trail will depend on when the funding is raised.
"A lot of government money we are trying to obtain takes time, and even once awarded, it takes time to get it," Mr. Latkovic said.
Residents have expressed strong support for the proposed trail, he said. "People say how great it is, and they can't wait for it to happen."
South Russell could be one of the first, outside of the Geauga Park District, to build a community trail in Geauga County.
The trail foundation will hold a fund-raiser social from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 2 at Trifles Cafe and Catering in the village. Tickets are $20. There will be a raffle of prizes and a silent auction.
Light appetizers and nonalcoholic drinks will be served, and a cash bar will be available. There also will be musical entertainment. More information is on the foundation's Web site.
Owner Ken Koprowski, a South Russell resident, is donating the appetizers, staff and restaurant space. "It is an opportunity for everyone to come together to support the trail project," Mr. Latkovic said.
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