Saturday, April 21, 2007

April 12 Minutes of Wabash Erie Canal Towpath Trail Forum

Wabash Erie Canal Towpath Trail Forum Meeting Minutes
Towpath Trail Chapter, Banks of the Wabash, Inc.
Meeting April 12, 2007 , 10:00 a.m. , Delphi Canal Center , Carroll County , IN
Attending: Dan McCain, representing the Canal Interpretive Center , from Carroll County , mccain@carlnet.org
Bob Schmidt & Carolyn Schmidt, representing the Canal Society of Indiana, from Allen County , INDCANAL@aol.com Jim Hollar & Ann Hollar, representing the Forks of the Wabash, Inc. from Huntington County , jrhollar@sbcglobal.net & achollar@sbcglobal.net Stanton Lambert , representing the Wabash River Enhancement Corp., from Warren, Fountain, Tippecanoe & Carroll Counties, slambert@lafayette.IN.gov
Ron James, Exec. Director of the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, representing the 19 county Wabash River corridor, Execdir@wrhcc.IN.gov Tom Castaldi was unable to attend due to illness but sent an agenda and some thoughts for discussion.

An opening statement was made by Dan McCain.

The need for continued pressure, from a unified corridor, concerning the Corridor Fund, trail placement, signage cooperation, etc., on the legislative and the executive branches, was noted.

A discussion was had upon the parameters of signage for marking the roadways closest to the river and/or the canal. Three types of signage [1)the canal boat silhouette used in the central Wabash area; 2) the ‘brand’ sign for the “River Road” program of the Corridor Commission; and 3) the as yet to be chosen sign under consideration by the towpath group in Allen County] were discussed as were their best uses. No decision as to uniform signage was made.

It was agreed by consensus that the group would be a chapter of the Banks of the Wabash, Inc. (BOW) with the ‘working’ name of “The Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Chapter.” It was further agreed that the current moderator of the group, Tom Castaldi, who has an eddress list of all prior attendees, should be asked to send a directive to prospective members to the effect: “We are a chapter of…”, include the membership information for BOW, and request everyone to apply & pay their BOW dues. Ron James is to send the electronic BOW brochure to Tom Castaldi for this purpose.

An agreeable name should be on the agenda for the charette proposed for the next meeting. Dates suggested included May 8, at 1:00 p.m. at the Honeywell Center in Wabash, but a final decision was agreeably left to depend on attendance by Rory Robinson (NPS) to facilitate or, if his attendance cannot be arranged soon, at the call of Tom Castaldi.

Some issues of local concern were further discussed with no action by the group proposed.

Adjourned 11:45 a.m.

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