From The Pottsville Republican-Herald
BY LISA COONEY
CORRESPONDENT,
GIRARDVILLE - County residents may one day be able to hike in the woods from the Pioneer Tunnel in Ashland to Centralia, or take a nonstop bike trip from Girardville to Shamokin.
On Tuesday, local municipal officials, members of the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance and the Mahanoy Creek Watershed Association, and area residents met with engineers from A&E Group, Wilkes-Barre, and representatives from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council to provide input and learn about work being completed on the Greenway Master Plan for the proposed Lower Anthracite Heritage Regional Trail.
The proposed trail system would encompass an area 20 miles long and 8 miles wide within portions of Columbia, Northumberland and Schuylkill counties. PEC is administering the plan on behalf of residents, landowners and local and county government within the boroughs of Ashland, Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Shamokin, Girardville and Gordon and the townships of Butler, Coal, Conyngham, Mount Carmel, Ralpho, Shamokin and Zerbe.
According to Julie McMonagle, director of the northeastern office of the PEC, funding for the feasibility study includes grants from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Keystone Recreation Park and Conservation Fund as well as a $55,000 grant from Growing Greener II, which is being matched by local legislators and members of the business sector.
During the meeting, consultant William Start of A&E Group gave a presentation showing detailed maps of the various municipalities. Start pointed out possible sites for trails, such as abandoned railway lines, as well as possible trail heads and points of interest and recreation that may be linked by the trail system.
He also discussed preferences that local officials have already expressed. For example, the borough of Shamokin would prefer that the trail be adjacent to Shamokin Creek and run through the town, whereas Mount Carmel borough would prefer a beltway of trails to the north and south of the borough with a possible mid-connector.
Information from Tuesday's meeting and written surveys from each municipality and some residents will be used for project planning, according to Janet Sweeney, PEC project manager.
Sweeney gave an overview of the survey results so far, which show that most people have an expressed interest in hiking and biking trails as opposed to all-terrain vehicle trails. Most also prefer crushed stone paths with benches, restrooms, possible fishing access, picnic tables and historic signs.
Steve Bartos of the state Department of Environmental Protection pointed out that DCNR recently expressed a strong interest in the development of an ATV trail in the area separate from this project in a portion of Northumberland and Schuylkill counties.
The completed trails project has the potential to provide recreational and fitness opportunities, increase property values, discourage littering and raise awareness of local history and nature. Start stressed the advisability of connecting to other trails already in place outside of the planning area.
"I think that our area, Girardville, Ashland, up through Mahanoy Plane to Frackville is the tail end of this project. We are the connector that they are looking for. I think this project has a lot to offer," said Girardville Councilman Joseph Chiaretti.
Start said the next stage of the project will include meeting with major landowners and looking for potential usage corridors.
This project is still in the planning stages and PEC is seeking more input from individuals. Anyone interested in making suggestions regarding the proposed trail system is welcome to take a public survey available online at http://www.newsitem.com/zwire/survey.html.
A meeting will be held in April to present preliminary options and the results from the public surveys.