SIDNEY — The city of Sidney recently received a grant toward completing the Canal Feeder trail bike path from Kuther Road to Piqua. The grant and the naming of the new park at the Heritage Manor subdivision were among items discussed at the Sidney Recreation Board’s teleconference meeting on Monday, April 5.
The grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for $500,000 will be added the other $850,000 in grant funds already received for the completion of the path. Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier said the grant funds brings the amount fairly close to the needed $1.3 million cost of the project.
The high cost to construct this portion of the path, which is just under a mile long, is because it is located under a bridge under Interstate 75. The funds will also pay for drainage, the construction of a wall and for trucks to haul materials in for the pathway.
Once completed, Sidney’s part of the path, being the northern trail head, Gaier said, will connect non-stop to Hamilton. There is also an area in Hamilton that still needs completed to connect to the over 350 miles of the Great Miami Recreational Trail. The path is longest non-stop bike path in the nation.
In other business, the board named the new park at the Heritage Manor subdivision, Heritage Manor Park. The board has the duty of naming the park and then Sidney City Council will pass legislation to officially add the new park to the city’s codified ordinances at a future council meeting.
A ribbon cutting and park dedication of Heritage Manor Park will be held at 10 a.m. on May 15.
Also discussed at the meeting was an update on the Binkley Pavilion. Gaier said the project is moving forward and expected to be completed during the summer of 2021. It will be located in Ashenbach Grove and have an asphalt drive leading up to a parking lot with a 26-foot, circular pavilion. The project is estimated to cost $140,000, which will come from private funds donated through the Community Foundation.
Other business discussed was the 2021 Sidney Water Park rates. The Recreation Board’s March meeting was cancelled due to lack of a forum, so at the April meeting the rates were presented to and approved by board. Following are the rates set for the Sidney Water Park for the 2021 season:
• Daily admission for everyone — $4.50;
• Season pass — $35;
• Two-hour pool rentals — $360;
• Training sessions — $80;
• Free swimming lessons — four, one-week sessions.
During the comments portion of the meeting, Gaier informed the board the Sidney Amateur Baseball will open their league on April 24, Sidney Electric Softball, as well as Sidney IUTIS have had their sign-ups, and soccer is under way. He also said the parks department is continuing to plan for the Vietnam Wall on Sept. 11-20 at Custenborder Park, and the Historical Society Car Show will be on Sept. 18 at Tawawa Park.
Board members Todd Ratermann and Tim Bickel were absent.
