Sledding fun may have hit bottom at historic fort

10/14/2005

Sledding at Fort Miamis could be coming to an end, replaced by a hill in Sidecut Metropark that could be ready for sledders this winter.

Maumee is considering transferring ownership of Fort Miamis, at the south end of Michigan Avenue near River Road, to the Toledo Area Metroparks, which officially manages the site. The issue could come before City Council on Monday.

The National Park Service asked last spring that sledding at Fort Miamis, a designated national historic site, be stopped to preserve historic artifacts.

If ownership is transferred, the Metroparks will post no-sledding signs at Fort Miamis.

Sledders would not be ticketed for the first three years, but would be directed to the Siegert Lake area of Sidecut Metropark, off West River Road, John Jaeger, director of natural resources for the Metroparks, told city officials and members of council's recreation committee yesterday.

The three sledding runs at Siegert Lake would be longer and less steep than the runs at Fort Miamis, Mr. Jaeger said.

The gravel parking area has 40 spaces, compared with the 10 blacktop spaces now at Fort Miamis.