Phase IV of the Linear Park project is
the addition to the original 5.5 miles of approximately 2.2
miles of paved path. This portion of the path will go from French
Park to the Swift Run Lake located on State Route
66.
This portion of the Linear Park will be a ten-foot wide
asphalt path. It will begin in French Park and will be
tied-in to the current Linear Park that runs along the
former Conrail right-of-way through town.
From French Park, the new path will head north to High
Street, where there will be a Bike Crossing installed. The
path will then continue north through the wooded area north
of High Street and west of the Hartzell Propeller property
located on Washington Avenue. In this wooded area, a rest
area will be installed with benches and trash cans.
This section of the path follows the portion of the
hydraulic canal that was filled in years ago and no longer
exists. It will also bring the path user to the sight of the
original City of Piqua Water Plant that was located just
south of Frantz Pond. Only a stone foundation wall remains.
Once through the wooded area, the path will follow the
levee along Frantz Pond until it reaches Park Avenue. A Bike
Crossing will be installed at Park Avenue. Once north of
Park Avenue, the asphalt path will once again be on the top
of the levee that curves around above Forest Avenue and Echo
Lake Drive. As the path curves around toward Echo Lake Drive
the path users will have a great view of Echo Lake, as the
asphalt path will wind right along the lake. At Echo Lake
Drive, another Bike Crossing will be installed.
From the crossing at Echo Lake Drive, the path will
continue north on top of the levee that runs through Fountain
Park, Forest Hill Cemetery, and continues on to
Swift Run Lake where this phase of the asphalt path will
end. A parking lot will be paved to that those traveling to
the path or to Swift Run for fishing will have a convenient
place to park.
Lower Fountain Park will have access to the new portion
of the path via the steps currently on the levee bank and
via the sidewalk ramp that is located at the southern end of
Lower Fountain Park. Access from Upper Fountain Park will be
via the bridge over the canal.
As part of this project the City has also cleaned out
major portions of the hydraulic canal. This canal cleanup
has occurred between Echo Lake Drive and the canal floodgate
located behind Water Plant. As part of this cleanup,
approximately 6,000 truckloads of mud, trees, branches and
other debris have been removed. In many places in the canal,
2 to 4 feet of silt and mud was removed. It is estimated
that the depth of the canal will now be 6 to 8 feet in some
areas. There are a number of benefits that will be derived
from this canal cleanup and dredging. They include:
Aesthetic reasons - The water in the canal (along the
recreational path) will not be as shallow and as stagnant as
it was before the cleanup; with less dead trees and branches
and less debris, the water will be cleaner
Improved recreational activities - Citizens will be
able to boat and fish in the canal without encountering
numerous fallen and submerged trees and other debris
Additional capacity of raw water in the water storage
system
Ability for Water Department employees to conduct
maintenance on the hydraulic canal - prior to this cleanup
there were areas that were impassible by boat
Also as part of this project, the City has cleaned up the
east side of the levee bank along the cemetery by removing
much of the brush and undergrowth, as well as the dead
trees. This will provide path users a wonderful view of
Forest Hill Cemetery.
This phase of the Linear Park will be a great addition to
the current 5.5 miles of the Linear Park. In these new 2.2
miles, the new portion of the path will take users through
wooded areas, along the banks of both Frantz Pond and Echo
Lake, and along the historical hydraulic canal out to Swift
Run Lake.
