Park Hills Parks Committee suggests nixing previously approved bike trail

The Park Hills Parks Committee approved a recommendation to cancel a previously approved bike/hike trail. The move, if approved by the full city council, would save the city about $59,000 as well as an additional $59,000 worth of city labor and equipment. The decision would also mean returning $300,000 in federal grant money. According to the article in the Park Hills Daily Journal:

The latest plan [for the bike trail] calls for actual construction of a trail from the south side of Columbia Park to Flat River Road. Existing streets and roads would take it from there into St. Joe State Park where it would connect with that facility's 12-mile trail. This would result in a trail linking Park Hills to Farmington, as Farmington's trail links to the one in the state park. . . .

Mayor John Clark expressed concern about how the proposal might impact the city's ability to get future grants. He is concerned state officials might look upon it as a sign the city is not capable of carrying out projects for which funds have been made available. He noted this is a project that was on the table when he first became a member of the council, along with the low-water bridge and the municipal building.