Lake Metroparks Lakefront Trail set to expand - The News-Herald
Published by: The News-Herald
By Bryson Durst
Original Article found here
Lake Metroparks is adding to its Lakefront Trail this year. A contractor recently laid asphalt for the trail’s second phase, said Metroparks Deputy Director Vince Urbanski. That phase is set to extend 800 to 900 feet west from the existing 2,300-foot trail, which runs west of the pier access ramp at Painesville Township Park, 1025 Hardy Road.
The contractor is set to add seeds and erosion matting to the hillside, Urbanski said. There will also be a wooden fence along the lake, similar to the fence on the trail’s first phase.
The trail currently ends at the end of the first phase. The second phase’s completion date is Oct. 15.
“With the progress they’ve made, we’re hoping they’ll be done prior to that,” Urbanski said.
This year’s work comes after the installation of a wall last year to protect the shoreline for the trail’s second phase. Urbanski added that the trail contractor made progress on grading and slope stabilization earlier this year.
Funding for the phase two trail construction has come from sources, including the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, county lodging tax revenue and the federal government, he said. The project was awarded to Youngstown-based contractor Marucci and Gaffney.
Once phase two is completed, the trail will extend across the entire lakefront portion of the Kurtz Brothers North Park Sediment Recycling Facility property. The company gave Lake Metroparks an easement that allowed it to build the trail.
The park district is looking ahead to a phase three that would continue the trail west, on the lakefront portion of the former Diamond Shamrock property. Lake Metroparks Executive Director Paul Palagyi said that the district is working with West Creek Conservancy and current landowner Mariana Properties for site access.
Park officials have previously expressed interest in expanding the trail to cover two and a half miles between Painesville Township Park and Fairport Harbor. According to Lake County’s parcel map, the Mariana property extends to the Fairport Harbor Village line.
Urbanski said the park district has started on engineering and design for phase three. He does not expect construction to start before fall of 2026.
“Just really great to see everyone come together, and I think there’s just a shared understanding that access to Lake Erie, our greatest natural resource, is just a critical opportunity that we can’t pass up, and we’re going to keep going,” Palagyi said. “This is phase two of several phases, we still have more to go.”