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HOWLAND -- The Trumbull County MetroParks board wants to extend the Mahoning River water trail designation from Packard Park to the Ohio-Pennsylvania line in Poland Township in Mahoning County.
The metroparks board at a recent meeting authorized Zachary Svette, executive director, to apply to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the extension.
Svette said in 2012, the metroparks board obtained the Mahoning Water Trail designation for the section of the river from Foster Park to Packard Park where there are boat launches.
He said since then, there has been a lot of work along the river with dams being removed and boat launches installed.
Svette said the metroparks worked with Mahoning River Mayors Association, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and Western Reserve Port Authority to get support for extending the designation.
Svette said Poland Township is the last location in Mahoning County the Mahoning River goes through before it crosses the Pennsylvania line.
Several communities have been asked to or have already passed resolutions of support for the effort, including Howland, Girard, Niles and Weathersfield in Trumbull County,
Svette said in Mahoning County, support has been sought from the Mahoning County Commissioners, and officials in Youngstown, Struthers, Campbell, Lowellville, and Poland village and township.
Svette said the metroparks board is the local liaison to the state that needs to apply for the designation.
"In 2012, we were fortunate to receive the designation. Because we are the liaison to the state, everything goes through metroparks for the designation process,'' Svette said.
Officials said the designation supports the regional efforts to enhance recreational, historical and economic opportunities along the river, noting the Mahoning River is one of the Mahoning Valley's most significant natural resources and its importance to the environment.
Officials said the proposed extension is the result of years of planning and regional cooperation among municipalities, park districts and other public agencies dedicated to improving public access to the Mahoning River and promoting safe recreational opportunities.
Extending the water trail will allow local communities to pursue state, federal and private grant opportunities for constructing canoe and kayak launches, trailhead facilities, safety improvements, signage and river access points.
Officials said the proposed water trail will encourage outdoor recreation, paddlesports and heritage tourism, creating new opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the river in a safe and organized manner.