Muskingum Valley Park District broke ground on new trail

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- A new project that will bring an outdoor recreational area to Zanesville broke ground Friday.

The Board of Muskingum Valley Park District Commissioners announced the project today. Joe’s Recreational Trail will connect Blue Avenue with the OUZ campus. The project will take place over two phases and will connect Zanesville Middle and High School to the college campus.

“Phase one will take us from Blue Avenue to Adams Circle. And then we’re currently determining where we’re going to bridge Joe’s Creek,” said Russell Edgington the Executive Director of the Board of Muskingum Valley Park District. “And then so the bridge and the actual rest of the construction over to campus will be phase two.”

The first phase of the development broke ground today. The trail will run just short of a mile. It will give people a place to walk their pets and explore the wildlife the area has to offer.

“It also has multipurposes. This also preserves open space. It preserves habitat for a variety of wildlife,” said Edgington. “It also will help to preserve the Joe’s Run Corridor and protect it from future development. And then probably just as important is it provides opportunities for public recreation and exercise”

Phase one is set to be complete by late summer. The corridor for phase two is being explored at this time once the design and engineering are completed the phase will begin. The recreational area was made possible in part by grant funding from the Clean Ohio Fund Green Space Conservation Program.