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Loop trail in final planning stages

SCIO — Harrison County officials are drawing on the beauty of the region to develop a plan to boost tourism and grow the economy.

Planning of the Harrison County Trail system is under way, and a meeting on the project was held Wednesday at the Scio Firehouse.

The new recreational path eventually could include up to 185 miles of hiking and biking trails. Planners said these routes will be connected to other trails in the surrounding area, including some that stretch across Belmont, Carroll, Guernsey, Jefferson and Tuscarawas counties. A highlight of the plan is a looping trail that will wrap around local lakes, such as Tappan, Clendening and Piedmont.

Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition President Dan Price is excited about the possibilities the project holds for the area.

“Harrison County is very uniquely positioned, unlike other surrounding counties, because of its proximity to Tuscarawas County and the connections to the Ohio River Erie Canal towpath trail,” he said.

The canal trail is a recreational route through the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area that will be 101 miles long when complete. It closely follows the original route of the Ohio & Erie Canal, which once carried people and merchandise north and south across the Buckeye State.

Price said no funding for the Harrison County Trail has been secured yet, but he believes there are plenty of resources that can be obtained for the project. Some potential sources he cited include donations and fundraisers, private sources, company contributions and government grants. Price said he expects Clean Ohio and Recreational Trail funds to be two major resources for the effort. Harrison County commissioners approved funding for the planning phase of the project.

“It’s all about timing and lining up your project with the right funding sources,” Price said.

Work to develop a trail system plan for the county has been ongoing for some time. In January 2016, commissioners voted to partner with the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition in order to seek funding for the county’s walking and bike trails. At that time, the commissioners said they would reach out to the Conotton Creek Trail Committee to work with OECC and look into potential upgrades for the biking/walking path that runs continuously from Bowerston to Jewett.

The additional trail development that is being discussed now will not only put Harrison County in the middle of a huge trail system, but it also will make Harrison County a major tourist destination, Price said. He noted there are endless possibilities associated with the project for attracting tourists and the dollars they are willing to spend for recreation. From old rail line trails and existing public paths to state trailways, an estimated 185 miles of new routes will make up the Harrison County Trail system.

Price also said the time is right for a new recreation plan for the region because people associated with the oil and natural gas industries are moving into Harrison County and other parts of the area.

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