Sippo Valley Trail to be rededicated in Dalton
Rails-to-Trails board members Don Noble II, left, Keith Workman and Larry Douglas will be the featured presenters at the Sippo Valley Trail rededication on June 18.
Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County invites the public to attend a 20-year rededication ceremony of the Sippo Valley Trail in commemoration of the ribbon cutting in 2002. The event will take place at Village Green Park on Freet Street in Dalton on June 18 with gathering at 10 a.m. and the ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Don Noble II, RTWC board president, will welcome attendees and introduce RTWC founder and board member Keith Workman, who will talk about the early history of how the Wayne County section of the Sippo Valley Trail became a reality. Board member Larry Douglas will share his insights about the trail and any current updates.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their bikes and join in a 20-mile group ride to Massillon and back following the dedication. The ride will be led by Workman.
The following 2002 article from the Wooster Daily Record describes the original ribbon cutting in Dalton:
“A line of bikers and hikers got to use the new 9.5-mile Sippo Valley Trail after a ribbon-cutting ceremony held June 1. It was a landmark day for Wayne County Rails-to-Trails as President Don Noble II and past President Keith Workman cut the ribbon near the Dalton end of the trail.
"The west trailhead starts at the new Village Green Park in Dalton, and the east trailhead is at the Bottoms Park near downtown Massillon. The trail surface is asphalt at both the Dalton and Massillon ends while the middle 3 miles of the trail are finely crushed limestone. Access points with vehicle parking are at Village Green Park in Dalton, West Lebanon Road east of Dalton, and in Massillon at Lincoln Park off 17th Street and the Bottoms Park off Sixth Street.
"The Sippo Valley Trail is a former interurban rail bed, making it nearly flat with gentle grades. It is designed to accommodate bicycling, inline skating, walking, hiking, jogging, cross country skiing and even horseback riding along its tree-lined, scenic corridor. The trail also connects to the larger Towpath Trail that wends its way through Clinton and eventually into the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area and north towards Cleveland.
"In Noble's remarks, he noted the efforts of the many volunteers, support of local officials, and major funding from both the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Transportation. Additional remarks were by Wayne County commissioner Cheryl Noah and State Rep. Jim Carmichael, R-Wooster.
"Noble also noted the future vision of the Wayne County Rails-to-Trails organization is a similar north-south trail passing through Wayne County connecting Fredericksburg to Clinton via Marshallville, Orrville and Apple Creek."
The Sippo Valley Trail continues to be a popular place for walkers and cyclists and is part of the Ohio to Erie Trail, a scenic 326-mile trail that links the Ohio River to Lake Erie, primarily on rail trails and canal paths. It traverses four major cities, numerous small towns and miles of countryside.
Along with the Sippo Valley Trail, Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County has built and maintains The County Line Trail, a 6.75-mile trail that stretches from Rittman to Creston. A third trail is the Heartland Trail, which is currently in two sections, one in Orrville and another in Marshallville. RTWC is actively involved in raising funds to build trail to close the gap between Allen Avenue and Forrer Road.