If you love the Little Miami Scenic Trail, we need your help. Friends of the Little Miami State Park has been working hard to secure funding to repave the 40-year-old section of trail between Morrow and South Lebanon. The bumps, cracks and holes in this 3-mile length of trail present inconvenience and a safety hazard to all trail users.
The Ohio legislature has committed $200,000 toward the project, and the City of South Lebanon will repave 0.9 miles as part of an upgrade of their municipal infrastructure. FLMSP has committed $50,000 of its funds available from memberships and donations. That leaves us $100,000 short of the estimated amount needed.
Now we’re asking for your help in securing the remaining funds. Every donation helps; 100% of your contribution will be used for repaving. Donate by credit card or PayPal here and select “Repaving” from the drop-down menu titled “Purpose of the Donation.” Alternatively, send a check made out to FLMSP to Friends of the Little Miami State Park, 9378 Mason Montgomery Rd., Suite 395, Mason, OH 45040.
Why isn’t ODNR paying for repaving?
Since most of the Little Miami Scenic Trail is a state park, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. ODNR must prioritize needs across all 75 of its state parks. Recently, that included replacing the O’Bannon Creek trail bridge in Loveland. This decision was made because the Ohio Dept. of Transportation had determined the bridge would have to be repaired or replaced soon before it would have to be closed. In order to minimize the disruption of a closed bridge, ODNR chose to replace it.
The disrepair of the pavement does not threaten to close the trail, so it is not as high on ODNR’s priority list. But for trail users, the condition of the trail was priority number one in FLMSP’s most recent surveys. That is why FLMSP chose to make repaving of the most damaged trail section a priority. We obtained funding from the state, we committed funds already in our account, we reached out to allied organizations, and now we are asking for donations from trail users.
FLMSP believes that trail users appreciate this community resource so much they will be willing to support an effort to keep it beautiful, enjoyable, and safe.
