Schuylkill River Trail to bring tourism, recreational opportunities to Frackville

May 15—FRACKVILLE — Plans are underway for the installation of the final section of the Schuylkill River Trail, which will make its northern terminus in the borough.

Julia Hurle, trails director of Schuylkill River Greenways, said the trail will provide an economic boost to Frackville and surrounding communities as visitors navigate the pathway.

"This will bring people to it," she said. "You need the economic development to bring people into the town, but you've got to get people into the town to get the economic development — and that's what we do. We're trying to connect these towns, and trying to bring more people in."

Hurle, accompanied by supporters of the initiative, led a walk on Monday to trace possible routes that could be used for the Frackville section of the trail.

The trail will make its way from Saint Clair to a Pennsylvania State Game Commission parking lot along Route 61, and from there to the Borough of Frackville, Hurle said.

Once completed, the Schuylkill River Trail will run 120 miles on a continuous pathway from Frackville to Philadelphia.

Although no definite plans have been made, the Greenways is considering the Little League Field at 301 W. High St., near the northern end of town, as the endpoint for the trail.

The most challenging part of mapping the trail, Hurle said, will be in connecting the Gamelands area to the southern part of Frackville.

Currently, the plan is to extend the trail north to Altamont Boulevard and onto an area near the Dutch Kitchen Restaurant.

Farther up Lehigh Avenue, Frackville's main street, the trail would cross to the western side of the borough and eventually reach the baseball field, Hurle said.

Also on hand for the walk on Monday were Jacob Gardner, trails program director for Schuylkill River Greenways; and local recreation enthusiasts Ryan Twardzik, of Frackville, and Peter Oswald, of Girardville.

Hurle acknowledged that it will likely take several years to complete the entire trail. The section of the trail from Saint Clair to Frackville, she said, could take four years, provided the Greenways receives adequate funding.

The Mill Creek Trail section, which runs from Saint Clair to the Game Commission parking lot, is currently in its engineering phase, which will cost around $200,000.

Benefiting Frackville

Oswald, an avid mountain biker, said the completed Schuylkill River Trail will contribute significantly to Frackville's economic growth.

He believes the trail will allow users to experience the local restaurants, businesses and the historic heritage of the region, which he said will benefit both the Greenways and the local municipalities.

"I've been doing a lot of long-distance trails, and I see how they've revitalized other communities," he said.

He also said the new facility would improve people's health and quality of life, particularly as the recreational avenues in the area are "pretty limited."

Twardzik, who bikes regularly in and around his native Frackville, said the expanded trail would benefit many local recreationists, including less experienced cyclists who are normally unable to cross Saint Clair to Frackville.

Once it is completed, he said, he would "love to" traverse the entire trail route from Frackville to Philadelphia.

"Having a trail come up in a more protected space like this would be really great," Twardzik said. "I've seen the effect the river trail has had in Phoenixville and other areas outside Philly. ... I'd love to see that more here."

History and tourism

Hurle said Frackville was chosen as the trail's terminus due to its important role in the Schuylkill River's history.

Since the Industrial Revolution, she said, the Schuylkill River and its tributaries were crucial to the shipment of coal from the Frackville area.

"(Frackville) is kind of the beginning of the story of the Industrial Revolution, where coal was discovered in this area," Hurle said.

She said that part of the Schuylkill River Greenways' mission is to connect the small towns that have "suffered economically" over the years and to help rebuild their economies through tourism and recreation.

"For instance, there's no easy way to get to Frackville from Saint Clair unless you're in a car," Hurle said. "So we're trying to make those intercommunity connections to help with the local economy."

Among its many benefits, she said, the trail would complement the ongoing streetscape revitalization project in Frackville, which is intended to improve and beautify North Lehigh Avenue from Frack to Spring streets.

The project, led by members of the volunteer committee Frackville Downtown, will bring new crosswalks, curb bump outs, a center median and other upgrades to the streetscape to make it safer, more walkable and visually appealing.

Hurle believes that people who take the trail into Frackville will spend more time in the downtown area, which the Frackville committee is working on developing over the next several years.

It is also possible, she said, that the trail route could be designed to fit the planned upgrades and layout of the streetscape project.

"We're trying to bring more people in, so that when (organizations) are going to revitalize sections of their town, they have more economic support and people who are going to benefit from it," Hurle added. "It makes their projects work better."

Contact the writer: hlee@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6085