Middlefield – In honor of the long-awaited paving of the southern section of The Maple Highlands Trail, the Village of Middlefield and Geauga Park District invite one and all to attend a Maple Highlands Spring Opening Celebration & Trail Ribbon-Cutting Event on Saturday, April 21, at 10 a.m. in the Middlefield Pocket Park, located on the corner of routes 608 and 87.
After a brief ceremony, guests will take a walk to the trail itself, located near the fire station, for a ribbon-cutting and light refreshments. Scheduled speakers include Middlefield Mayor Ben Garlich; Geauga Park District Executive Director John Oros; and Alan Yoder, a member of the Amish community and Old Order Amish Safety Committee.
“Geauga Park District looks forward to celebrating these improvements to The Maple Highlands Trail,” added Geauga Park District Executive Director John Oros. “To see the trail run through the village is definitely rewarding. As a resident of Middlefield Township, it’s also great this resource is being used by more and more residents in the southeast corner of Geauga County.”
With 6.4 miles of paved trail from Geauga Park District’s Headwaters Park to Swine Creek Reservation, The Maple Highlands Trail-South includes 3.5 miles that is owned by the Village of Middlefield. Users also travel a half mile through the village itself.
In addition to provisions for recreation including biking, rollerblading and walking, this trail section also provides the local Amish community with safer travel into Middlefield by allowing horses and buggies to avoid main roadways.
The new asphalt paving, completed late last year, now ensures a usable surface year-round.
“The trail is now paved in its entirety,” Oros said. “It’s over 20 miles now, stretching from the Lake County line in Chardon Township to Swine Creek Reservation in Middlefield Township. Now that spring is here, we expect the trail will be even more popular. We hope you enjoy this new amenity.”
Learn more about The Maple Highlands Trail at the new www.geaugaparkdistrict.org under Parks.
