This weekend, August 17-18, construction will begin on the City’s new Mountain Bike Trail at Academy Park, bringing an exciting and unique feature to Gahanna.
This project began approximately seven years ago, when a group of local mountain biking enthusiasts approached the Department of Parks & Recreation with a vision for the trail. The City then began an extensive process that included evaluating the topography and environmental conditions of the site, working with the residents to visit other mountain bike trails in the region, researching the site and gathering input from other organizations as to how a trail could be developed on the site, and exploring options for outside funding sources to help support the project.
In 2020, the City secured a grant from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) to provide an environmental assessment of the area, which eventually gave the “green light” for the project. Capital funding, generated from Issue 12 dollars, was approved by City Council in 2022, enabling the Administration to move forward with final design and planning of the trail.
The completed trail will be nearly three miles in length and feature a variety of elements like humps, hills, banked turns and more. The City anticipates very little disruption to Academy Park and the nearby multi-use trail while construction is underway. The trail is expected to be completed and open to the public by the end of October, weather permitting.
Updates on this project will be shared at Gahanna.gov and on the City’s social media pages.
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