Ottawa County Park District gears for up for bike, multi-use trails

Sheri Trusty
·4 min read
Jannah Wilson was hired as the executive director of the Ottawa County Park District in January. This summer she is focusing on the district’s Active Transportation Plan, but she will eventually add outdoor educational programming to the district’s schedule.
Jannah Wilson was hired as the executive director of the Ottawa County Park District in January. This summer she is focusing on the district’s Active Transportation Plan, but she will eventually add outdoor educational programming to the district’s schedule.

PORT CLINTON — Although the Ottawa County Park District was formed in 1992, it remained largely inactive for years. In 2018, the board of park commissioners developed an Active Transportation Plan, and in November 2020, the park district’s first levy was passed. The 0.6-mill levy, coupled with a committed board, opened the door to a new era for the park district.

The newly acquired funds allowed the park district to hire Jannah Wilson as executive director in January, and her passion for the county’s natural world was the much-needed kickstart for various projects, including plans for the installation of the next phase of the North Coast Inland Trail and a new Catawba Islander Trail and Greenway.

Per Ohio Revised Code, county park districts in Ohio fall under the jurisdiction of the county probate judge and are, by law, permitted to seek funding through tax levies. Locally, Ottawa County Park District serves under Probate Judge Frederick Hany. Board members are Gary Kohli, Mike Shadoan, Jack Madison, Judy Indorf and Elizabeth Slotnick, who was sworn in by Hany in June to replace longtime board member Angela LaForce.

“We’re affiliated with the county, but we’re not a county agency,” Wilson said. “It’s kind of unique in Ohio because of the way it’s set up in Ohio Revised Code and our ability to have a tax levy. It allows the park district to grow and develop and serve communities.”

Park district eyes property for North Coast Inland Trail

The park district’s main focus is the Active Transportation Plan, which creates multiuse trails in the county. The plan’s biggest project is extending the North Coast Inland Trail from Genoa to Millbury in Wood County.

“We’re working on property acquisition, writing grants, and planning. Realistically, construction will not begin until 2025 or 2026,” Wilson said.

2025 may seem like a long way off, but trail projects are extensive, and Wilson said a three-year time frame between planning and construction is relatively quick for this scope of work and is only possible due to the public’s understanding and embrace of the project.

The Ottawa County Park District’s biggest focus is an extension of the North Coast Inland Trail from Genoa, shown here, to Millbury.
The Ottawa County Park District’s biggest focus is an extension of the North Coast Inland Trail from Genoa, shown here, to Millbury.

“The trails benefit the local economy and create access to outdoor recreation and alternative transportation,” Wilson said. “The trail pays for itself when you factor in how much money it brings to the local economy. The average cyclist spends $75 to $100 a day on a day trip.”

Master plan developed for Catawba Islander Trail and Greenway

The Ottawa County Park District has developed a master plan for the Catawba Islander Trail and Greenway, a multiuse trail which will wind through the peninsula. The trail was requested by local residents as a means to increase safety and tourism.

“People are walking and riding bikes on a road where cars are doing 55 miles per hour,” Wilson said. “Now that we have a master plan, we have something to work off of and create our playbook for our trails.”

Wilson said people have inquired about the decision to focus on Catawba, and the answer is simple: community support. A Catawba Advisory Committee meets regularly to discuss trail progress, volunteers have already promised to help, and financial support has poured in, including a $3,500 Ottawa County Community Foundation grant.

“There’s a high level of community involvement in Catawba. Several people have expressed a great deal of passion for this,” Wilson said.

The park district is also working on the distribution of Parks and Trails Improvement Grant funds, which was open to any political subdivision in the county.

“Nine different agencies applied for funding for things like restrooms and a welcome center,” Wilson said. “The grants help inject funding into the community for improvements.”

Wilson has only been with the park district since January, but she is already dreaming big.

“My background is with parks and recreation and education and recreation, and I’d like to provide more resources for people to get outdoors, such as summer camps, guided hikes, and a bike safety program,” she said. “My big dream is to have a nature center here in Ottawa County. Right now, it’s baby steps to get to where we want to be.”

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Ottawa County Park District gears for up for bike trails