‘This is just the beginning:’ Ohio to revamp Mahoning Valley waterfront recreation areas
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine visited Trumbull County on Thursday as part of a statewide initiative to improve Ohio’s outdoor facilities and natural resources.
DeWine and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency director Anne Vogel visited the Warren Community Amphitheatre to make the announcement.
They were specifically in Warren to talk about an upcoming grant to support water quality and improved recreational opportunities on the Mahoning River.
DeWine also announced 18 new projects coming to the Ohio’s Appalachian region’s waterfronts, trails, parks and historic downtown districts.
“We believe in the people of Appalachia, and we believe in their vision for the future,” he said. “The half billion dollars we’ve invested in Appalachia will create new opportunities that add to the quality of life for those living in this beautiful and historic region and spur economic growth that will be life-changing for many Ohioans.”
There’s more than $51 million being distributed for the 18 projects chosen that applied for the Appalachian Community Grant Program.
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“This is just the beginning of more economic opportunities for Appalachia and creates change that allows Ohioans in this region to enjoy the affordable, high-quality life that can only be found in Ohio,” Ohio Lt. Governor Husted said. “It’s about investing in the innovation and potential of communities so they can grow and succeed in every corner of our state.”
Here are details provided by the state of each Mahoning Valley project.
Lowellville Riverfront Park
Village of Lowellville (Mahoning)
Award Amount: $936,960
The village of Lowellville will construct a canoe livery, pavilions, and a play facility at the Lowellville Waterfront Park and Canoe Livery. An extensive trail will be added through the wooded riverfront connecting to downtown.
Spring Commons Park
Youngstown (Mahoning)
Award Amount: $3,891,475
Mahoning County will make dramatic improvements to Spring Commons Park, located near downtown Youngstown. New, active play equipment for ages and abilities will be constructed,
as well as pavilions, and shelters. A riverfront path and boulder terrace will be added to provide a beach stop-off point for kayakers to visit the park. At the site’s northwest corner, an existing asphalt lot will be repurposed into an agriculture center to support community garden programming. The park will be physically connected to the West Avenue boat launch by a trail.
Struthers Community River Launch
Struthers (Mahoning)
Award Amount: $1,188,264
In Struthers, a community river launch will be constructed including a stairway with a kayak groove for a direct connection to river access, a pavilion and shelters, and a natural play area.
Additional facilities will be installed to allow for better capacity to host recreational visitors.
Interpretive signage and lighting will be installed to provide safety and context to the site, while new improvements will be made to the landscape.
Trumbull Downtown Riverfront Revitalization
Niles (Trumbull)
Award Amount: $3,500,288
The city of Niles will construct a boat launch within the downtown area to strengthen the connection to the riverfront below the South Main Street bridge into downtown.
Western Reserve Greenway Trail Renovations
Bristol Township (Trumbull)
Award Amount: $372,746
Trumbull County Metro Parks will oversee improvements to remedy embankment loss at the southeast corner of an existing bike trail at Baughman Creek Bridge in Bristol Township.
Mahoning Avenue Corridor Revitalization Plan
City of Warren (Trumbull)
Award Amount: $4,338,581
A new pedestrian bridge spanning the Mahoning River will be installed in the city of Warren.
Additionally, four parks along Mahoning Avenue will be improved including Burbank, Bullhead, Packard, and Perkins will be improved with refreshed streetscaping, new sidewalks connecting the parks, and wayfinding signage.