Walking trail project dropped, A2R to pursue observation deck

Higher-than-expected price quotes and an unforeseen property line snag have caused the need for changes in the Tiffin Park and Recreation portion of Seneca County's Access to Recreation grant.

A plan to extend the Hedges-Boyer Park walking trail to the wetland area behind Vic Wurm Field has been dropped from the plans because the city learned part of the area where the trail was to be placed belongs to an adjacent landowner.

"We ran into access problems," Tiffin Law Director Brent Howard told the A2R steering committee during its meeting Wednesday. "The city doesn't own all the property. For right now, it doesn't look like something we can pursue."

Instead, the steering committee decided to expand its plans for an observation deck overlooking Rock Creek on the recommendation of Park and Recreation Director Steve Dryfuse and park board Chairman John Bing.

Dryfuse described the location as "along the creek bank that will be seated to the east of the east footbridge which is located just north of the BMX track which is north of Vic Wurm baseball diamond."

He said the outlook deck would be built to withstand heavy traffic, flooding and other adverse weather conditions and would allow people with and without disabilities access to the creek and its natural surroundings. It would include handicapped-accessible seating areas and possibly educational information about the natural area and various plants, trees and wildlife within the park.

The city's portion of the A2R budget has about $41,000 left after the estimated cost of improvements to Schekelhoff Park and engineering costs are taken out of the original $205,000.

A paved trail, decks and a shelter house at Schekelhoff are estimated to cost $56,000. The committee discussed revising the Schekelhoff project to provide more money for the Hedges-Boyer portion if needed.

Dryfuse said he would like to put the Schekelhoff project out for bids as soon as possible so he knows the final costs.

Project manager Caroline Minges said any changes to either of the projects must be approved by the National Center on Accessibility.

She said the half-mile Schekelhoff trail required resting places.

"It's so long, they wanted four places that people could rest at," Minges said. "We could pare it back, but I don't think we can totally eliminate the shelter."

Minges said the city would have to make a decision on a new version of the Hedges-Boyer project and get NCA approval before proceeding.

Howard said the next step would be to determine whether the changes to the Hedges-Boyer project could be completed for $41,000, set up a meeting with Mayor Jim Boroff and possibly a committee of the whole meeting with members of city council and the park board to explain the new concept.

The other three projects in the grant are closer to completion. They include asphalt trails and other improvements to Opportunity Park at Seneca County Opportunity Center, the Seneca County Park District's Zimmerman Nature Preserve and Tiffin University Nature Preserve.

The $746,000 overall project is designed to make recreational facilities more accessible to the handicapped. It is being made possible through a $419,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., and $327,000 in local matching funds. Originally scheduled to be completed in March of this year, the project recently received a one-year extension.

Tiffin Charitable Trust Administrator Suzanne Donaldson updated the committee on progress toward raising matching funds.

She said the deadline extension will allow grant applications to be resubmitted to some possible funding sources.

Donaldson said $20,251 must be raised for the project portion of the match. After that portion is complete, she said the foundation can send a check for the remaining $96,500 of the grant.

In addition, she said $54,000 is needed for the endowment portion of matching funds.

Donations still needed total $74,251.

"We're hoping to be done within the next six months," she said, although the downturn in the nation's economy has slowed down donations.

To make a donation of any size, contact Andy Felter at (419) 447-8232 or Donaldson at (419) 448-1791. Checks can be mailed to Tiffin Charitable Foundation, 68 S. Washington St., Tiffin, OH 44883.