MILLBURY – Teamwork was once
again a topic for the Lake Township Trustees.At Tuesday’s meeting, the trustees agreed to be part of a group
looking at grants and other ways to improve Millbury’s parks and link with a national bike trail.Two
representatives of Poggemeyer Design Group, Bowling Green, talked to the trustees about joining the village
of Millbury in pursuing grants to be part of the North Coast Inland Trail. The trail, according to the
ohiobikeways.net website, aspires to connect Indiana to Pennsylvania, requiring roughly a 270-mile
west-to-east ribbon of trail through Ohio. A 170-mile portion of the route extends from the Indiana border,
just west of the north fork of the Wabash Cannonball Trail, over to Lorain.The proposed local part of the
trail starts at the Genoa-Elmore area, along an abandoned railroad area. It could continue into Millbury, go
north on Main Street to Ayers Road, then to Drouillard Road where it would hook up with an existing township
trail that is already marked with bike signage.Dave Saneholtz, Poggemeyer principal owner, said that while
Millbury has two parks – Veterans and Fireside (which is owned by the township) – it’s missing something. A
path connecting both parks would allow kids to travel from one to the other on bikes or on a safe walking
trail.The best way to tie both parts together is down Cherry Street, he said."At the same time, make
that a leg of the (North Coast Inland) trail and bring dollars from the state into the project,"
Saneholtz said.Paulette Huber, client relations representative with Poggemeyer, said funds are available
through the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.She said grant
money is probably tied up through the state until 2017, but planning should begin now if the township is
interested."The question is do we want to sit down and talk?" said Trustee Chairwoman Melanie
Bowen."We’re willing to work with you," Bowen said, suggesting a trustee and the parks director
continue meeting with Poggemeyer and Millbury representatives.A bonus for the township and Millbury would be
funds to improve their parks. At Fireside, which is adjacent to the Millbury fire station, another entrance
and restrooms could be added and there could be parking lot improvements.At last month’s meeting, the
trustees considered a team effort for dispatching. The township, Northwood, Rossford, Millbury and Walbridge
were awarded a state grant earlier this year to study the concept.The trustees and councils were presented a
proposal on having one dispatch center, which could happen next year.