Community Parks Trail Discussed Before Council Meeting

AKtion Club President Mike Walter listens as Mayor Tom Riel reads a resolution proclaiming November 19 AKtion Club Day in the City of Bradford. The AKtion Club, a division of the Kiwanis Club, is the first service club established in the area in more than 30 years. American Refining Group provided grant money to the Kiwanis Club to start the group. Dallas-Morris Drilling and Evergreen Elm are co-sponsors. The Aktion Club has already worked on a project at Hanley Park and is working on several other community projects.

By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director

Plans for the newest portion of the Tuna Valley Trails – the Community Parks Trail – would include the restoration of the Pine Street footbridge and connections to Callahan and Hanley parks.

Members of the trail association detailed the plans to Bradford City Council members Tuesday night. The newest part of the trail will make a loop from the Richard E. McDowell Community Trial to Callahan Park to School Street and eventually Barbour Street back to Campus Drive.

Trail Association President Rick Esch said it will also connect Bradford Area High School, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and recreational facilities with safe routes.

The proposed trail would also change the traffic pattern on School Street back to one-way. Esch and Sara Andrews, Executive Director of the Bradford Office of Economic and Community Development, said both Bradford Regional Medical Center and the school district are on board with a possible change.

Andrews said they haven't started engineering phase yet, but are ready to go for bid for design services. She says construction could begin late next year or early 2010. The funding is from federal grant money.

Councilman Bob Tingley questioned the route the trail would be taking.

"What are you going to do? Pave these streets with gold so it sets them apart from everything else?" Tingley asked. "I honestly … don't understand what the big deal is."

Andrews explained that the trail is "going right through the heart of the Elm Street neighborhood," where a lot of money is being invested for improvement. It all ties it to improvement in the area, she said.

"It's all part of improving the quality of life in our community," Andrews said.

Association member Mike Glesk added that "When you designate trails, you get people walking … they're always in good condition … they're attractive."

He also said one of the goals of the trails association was to eventually have the entire population of the area within a five-minute walk of a trail. This, he said, gets them one step closer to the goal.

Tingley said he believes the idea is "pie in the sky," adding that he is not against the project.

Councilman Ross Neidich said "Maybe it is pie in the sky," but with the economy the way it is, maybe more people will return to city life, where they can walk to work and recreational activities.

He says he believes eventually the community will be rebuilt and people years from now will say "Those people 50 or 75 years ago had a little foresight as to what's going to make our community better.