By Dan Stockman in The Journal Gazette
Fort Wayne's Rivergreenway system will soon get another extension as officials work to stretch the trail toward its counterpart in Aboite Township.
City park officials will conduct an information meeting next week to unveil plans for the Tow Path Trail, which will eventually link Fort Wayne's Rockhill Park with the Aboite New Trails system on Aboite Center Road.
Rockhill Park has been connected to the Rivergreenway only since last summer, when the 1.1-mile West Jefferson Trail opened between it and Swinney Park.
"This is one of the most important trails we're working on in the whole area because it will link to Aboite new trails," Greenway Coordinator Dawn Ritchie said. "This is a high-priority trail for us."
The trail will follow the route of the Wabash-Erie Canal and is named for the dirt paths that ran next to the canal for mules to tow canal boats.
The canal once linked the Maumee River to the Wabash River, enabling the flow of goods across the state of Indiana, but was made obsolete by the railroads. Now, most of it is known only by the historical markers that dot its course.
Next week, officials will unveil Phase One of the project, which will take the trail from Rockhill Park to the intersection of Ardmore Avenue and Taylor Street.
Officials have applied for a $150,000 state grant toward the estimated $180,000 cost of the .85 miles of trail, but will not know until the fall whether the grant will be awarded. That means construction will not start until spring 2006, Ritchie said. Officials hope to have the 3.5-mile project completed in three years.
Officials have applied for a similar grant to extend the trail north along the St. Joseph River from Johnny Appleseed Park to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and eventually Shoaff Park.
Most of the Tow Path Trail's Phase One already has existing sidewalk along its length, but it will be widened and upgraded. Later phases will take the trail down Country Club Road, across Covington Road, south of the Country Club and Canterbury High School to Engle Road, then west to Jefferson Boulevard.
The public meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Portage Middle School, 3521 Taylor St. Use either Entrance 2 on the east side or Entrance 3 at the rear of the school.