Another Piece of the Puzzle: ZTAP Trail Becoming Reality
By Teri Stein
April 7, 2014
402
Summary: Its full steam ahead for the members of Zeisberger Trail and Parks as they begin their first construction project in the village of Tuscarawas.
It was a cold, snowy evening January 11, 2011 when Zeisberger Trail and Parks held their first organizational meeting at the Tuscarawas Community Center. When I saw we had 15 people there, I knew we would be successful, said Joe Krocker of Tuscarawas, ZTAP president, at the official groundbreaking ceremony of the first section of trail on Sat. April 5, 2014 in Tuscarawas. Approximately 40 people attended the event including Dan Rice of the Ohio Erie Canalway Coalition which has provided assistance to ZTAP.
Though the groundbreaking was Saturday, Krocker was pleased to announce that thanks to Warwick Township, Terry Enama, Harold Booth, D.J. Meeks and Doug McPeek, an approximately two block long section of the trail was completed prior to the event. The finished section of the trail is lined with wood chips and is open to walkers from Cherry Street to School Street Extension. As the group is able to secure additional funds, they plan to put down a more solid surface of crushed limestone.
Our overall goal was and still is to build trails and parks from New Philadelphia to Newcomerstown via Goshen, Wainwright, Tuscarawas, Gnadenhutten, and Port Washington, said Krocker who thanked the numerous people and organizations involved in getting to their first construction project. We will also be building a 25 acre park near the boat ramp (in Tuscarawas) and possible parks and park improvements in other towns.
Im excited the trail is moving forward; our goal is to have the whole of Tuscarawas County connected. These early action projects are important, said County Commissioner Chris Abbuhl who added that the trails will bring more people to the county. Abbuhl was impressed with the number of volunteers who turned out for the first work day and groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday April 5 in Tuscarawas near the boat dock. This is a good day. Im happy for Joe (Krocker) and the village of Tuscarawas.
Matt Davis, vice-president of ZTAP, said the benefits of trails are twofold, with fitness being the first. We have a scenic and historic area and trails can really highlight that, he said. Davis likes that ZTAP members are able to be another piece in the puzzle that will contribute to the total development of trails in Tuscarawas County.
It shows when folks all get together they can make a positive change, said Dana Moore, mayor of Tuscarawas.
The enthusiasm is growing among ZTAP volunteers as they see the trail begin to take shape. Approximately 20 showed up for the first work day also held on April 5 and much work clearing an overgrown section was completed. Lunch for the volunteers was donated by John Hursey of the Canal House in Tuscarawas.
A second workday for the trail has been planned for Sat. April 12 beginning at 8 a.m. We need chainsaws with experienced operators, a Bobcat or tractor with a bucket, a stump grinder, and weed eaters with brush cutting blades, said Krocker. Volunteers should meet at the end of Sharon Drive near Tuscarawas, contact Krocker at 330-987-9021 for directions or more information.
Meetings for the group are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Tuscarawas Community Center on Cherry Street in Tuscarawas. More information about the group can be found at www.ztap.org.
