The walking trail at the Harrisville Community Park has received “rave reviews” and is popular among residents of all ages, especially senior citizens, Mayor Gary Hughes said. Brad Lena/Special to the Eagle
The walking trail at the Harrisville Community Park has received “rave reviews” and is popular among residents of all ages, especially senior citizens Mayor Gary Hughes said.
The walking trail is named after avid walker and longtime Harrisville resident, Jack Emmett, who died in an vehicle accident in October of 2014. The trail was formerly dedicated July 4, 2022 at the annual Community Day gathering in the borough.
The walking trail circles the perimeter of the park and is about a mile-and-a-quarter long.
“It’s great to see people of all ages using the trail and the park,” Hughes said.
He noted that the installation of modern bathrooms increased the attractiveness of the park for events and private gatherings.
A fitting tribute
Everyday trail walker, Bob Klingensmith, 69, of Harrisville, was a good friend of Jack Emmett. He said he felt the trail was a fitting tribute to Jack’s love of walking.
Klingensmith, who initially suggested to the community that the walking trail be named after Emmett, recalled that “Jack loved to walk and always chatted with people he met along the way.”
Hughes said the trail’s popularity can be attributed to its central location, handicap-accessibility, ease of parking, distance from traffic and the new restrooms. Hughes said that plans to add benches along the trail are being considered.
Bob Barnes, 84, of Harrisville, echoed Hughes saying that the trail is easy to walk for older people, conveniently located, offers plenty of parking and is easy access.
“There are always plenty of people to walk with,” Barnes said.
Klingensmith said that people from Slippery Rock, Grove City and Forestville are also using the trail.
“People in their 80s are regular walkers,” he said, as well as families, children and women with strollers.
Many people exercise their dogs, too. Klingensmith says he always has a treat for the dogs, “I’m called ‘biscuit man.’”
The walking trail, one of the bigger projects in the borough in recent years, was funded by grants from Butler County, state Department of Conservation and Natural Resource and a community development block grant. The grants, totaling nearly $386,000, were awarded to the township in 2021. The borough received about $86,000 from the DCNR, about $95,000 from Butler County. The rest of the construction cost was covered by the block grant.
