"The old trail system used to be maintained by a group of volunteers many years ago, and they kind of disappeared, and the trails became overgrown with honeysuckle," said Steve Timmer, director of the Hamilton Parks Conservancy, which maintains the city's parks.
The park, which includes a golf driving range, a pond and lots of woods, is along New London Road, across from Potter’s Park Golf Course. Its trail system “was totally shot, and it’s something we at the parks conservancy really wanted to do (re-create the trails), but really didn’t have the equipment or expertise to do it,” Timmer said.
In a conversation, a MetroParks official mentioned his organization routinely does such clearing. MetroParks will use the honeysuckle-clearing machine it owns to clear the trails. Hamilton Parks Conservancy will continue to maintain the grass areas and pond, but MetroParks will keep up the trail system.
Some of the old trails will be realigned, but not in major ways, said Jason Shamblin, MetroParks’ deputy director, “and then we’ll go in and start getting it back into the shape it was when it was managed on a regular basis.”
Trail signage will be added, as well as a new sign for the park, with the logos of the conservancy and MetroParks included.
The two organizations entered into a one-year agreement for management of the trails, with the intention of renewing it. No money changed hands in that agreement, Shamblin said.
The entry pedestrian bridge, which replaces a dilapidated predecessor, is supported by steel I-beams and is sturdy enough to support a light utility vehicle for when the parks need to do trail maintenance. Smaller pedestrian bridges will be built along trails.
“This would be the only park we really have that would have the type of walking trails through it that MetroParks is building is going to manage,” Timmer said. The 100-plus-acre park is mostly wooded, except for a mowed meadow and the pond.
“I think it’s a good thing,” said neighbor John Berry, who had asked officials to reclaim the trails. Berry said he used to clear the trails himself.
“Years ago, I used to take a chain saw and other devices, and cut the honeysuckle back,” Berry said. “But it got too tedious.”
“I’m glad they’re assuming the role to re-cut the trails,” he said.
“It’s a neat spot that’s going to stay more towards nature-type walking,” Timmer said. “There will not be any playgrounds or anything like that. It’s going to be a passive park for basically people to walk and enjoy nature.”
The park can be used now, officials said. The trails never technically were closed, although they have yet to be cleared for easier hiking.
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