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Construction Updates
Updated May 22, 2013
For more information, call the administrative offices at 330-867-5511, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Liberty Park | Freedom Trail | Towpath Trail
Mountain Bike Trails | Water Trails
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Liberty Park
The park district is developing plans for a nature center in the Twinsburg Ledges Area (9999 Liberty Rd., Twinsburg) on land that is owned by the City of Twinsburg. The nature center project will be funded entirely by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.
Design work is currently progressing, with decisions being made as to form, function and content.
Highlights of the site development include:
- A welcoming entry experience that hints at what is on site
- Storm water collection to illustrate how rainwater has sculpted the land and created drainage channels that ultimately carved and uncovered ledge rock
- An amphitheatre is planned to capitalize on the sloping topography and provide an outdoor classroom for programs and events.
- An accessible path with interpretive information
- A gateway to the Ledges Trail that makes a connection between the building and footpath
- A hiking trail through the restored grassland / meadow
- An open-air shelter that provides a three-season gathering space
Click here for more about Liberty Park. |
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Freedom Trail
Construction began in summer 2012 on this new multipurpose trail on land owned by METRO Regional Transit Authority. It follows an unused railroad corridor and, when completed, will connect the cities of Akron and Kent. The first 4.2 miles of Phase I, from Middlebury Road in Kent to Tallmadge Circle, were dedicated May 1, 2013. Phase II construction, 2 miles from Tallmadge Circle to Eastwood Avenue in Akron, will take place this year. The target for completion of all 8 miles is 2015.
The trail will be included on the park district's spring hiking series, Spree For All (May - June), and a new cycling event, the Summer Biking Spree (July - August).
Click here for more about the Freedom Trail.
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Towpath Trail
The City of Akron is working on plans to perform external repairs in 2013 to the sewer along the trail in Akron. The project limits extend from the Akron Water Pollution Control Station at 2460 Akron-Peninsula Rd., across the Cuyahoga River, generally following Riverview Road to Merriman Road, crossing Portage Trail, and following the Cuyahoga River adjacent to the Towpath Trail to the confluence of the Cuyahoga and Little Cuyahoga rivers. A contractor will be cleaning the sewer, repairing cracks and root damage, replacing deteriorated bricks and repairing culverts. The city believes the work will be completed with minimal impacts to the trail.
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Mountain Bike Trails
The Board of Park Commissioners authorized staff Wednesday, May 22, 2013 to apply for Summit County Community Grant funding for the development of new trails at Hampton Hills Metro Park.
On the drawing board are more than seven miles of mountain bike trails and two new parking lots: one on Akron-Peninsula Road, south of Bath Road in Akron, and a second on Hardy Road, west of Theiss Road in Akron. The proposed mountain bike trails would not connect with the existing hiking trails.
Updates will be posted here as they become available.
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Water Trails
Metro Parks, Serving Summit County and the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition are studying the concept of creating water trails in southern Summit County for non-motorized boats, kayaks and canoes. Specifically, the agencies are looking at ways to establish designated connections for recreation between the Tuscarawas River, Ohio & Erie Canal and the Portage Lakes. Read More (5 MB)
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Cave Café
Mary Campbell Cave in Gorge Metro Park used to be called Old Maid's Kitchen. In the summer, tourists to the area had lunch lowered to them from the cliff above - for a fee, of course.
Summit's Tallest Tulip
A showy tulip-like flower is what gives the tuliptree - the tallest hardwood in Summit County - its common name.
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