Slippery Elm Trail to get stop-off site

9/12/2006

BOWLING GREEN - Bicyclists, joggers, and hikers who use the popular Slippery Elm Trail between Bowling Green and North Baltimore will soon have a new stopping-off point.

Wood County Park District commissioners agreed yesterday to pay $50,000 for approximately two acres along the 13-mile trail in Rudolph where Bowling Green-based Mid-Wood Inc. has operated a grain elevator.

Park Director Neil Munger said that in the next few years, the board plans to convert the brick scale station into restrooms, install playground equipment and picnic shelters, and use a pole barn on the site for equipment storage. Two large and two small grain storage silos would likely be sold and moved or demolished, he said.

"We found out about the property from Paul Brim, a resident of Rudolph who called us and said he had heard they were selling the property. He said [people in Rudolph] would really like to see it be something beneficial to the community," Mr. Munger said.

The property will be purchased with money in the park district's land acquisition fund, which is part of its budget each year.

Also yesterday, the park board awarded $75,000 in grants to 12 Wood County communities that applied for help with making improvements at their local parks.

The money, which is awarded every year, comes from the park district's 0.7-mill operating levy that all county property owners pay.

This year's recipients are:

•Bowling Green, $10,149 for safety netting for ball fields.

•Bradner, $1,091 for split rail fencing.

•Cygnet, $11,225 for playground safety surfacing.

•Grand Rapids, $3,000 for a swing set.

•Haskins, $4,445 for playground equipment.

•Lake Township, $4,802 for bleachers.

•Millbury, $8,000 for stone trail installation.

•Pemberville, $392 for a bike rack.

•Perrysburg, $3,978 for playground safety surfacing and deck chairs.

•Risingsun, $9,967 for replacement baseball diamond fencing.

•Rossford, $3,951 for playground equipment and safety surfacing.

•Tontogany, $14,000 for playground equipment and surfacing.