Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Canal Towpath Trail Meeting Recap 11/06/2008
Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Chapter
Big Four Depot Lafayette, Indiana, 1:30 p.m. History Center
Hosted by Wabash River Enhancement Corporation
RECAP
1. OPENING REMARKS
Several Chapter members had scheduling conflicts and could not be in attendance and we appreciate their providing advanced notice or representative. Meeting was opened with a thank you by Tom Castaldi to the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation for hosting the meeting, providing refreshments and document copying; Lisa Iversen for maintaining our blog site; and Allen County Fort Wayne History Center for copying meeting agendas.
2. MEMBERSHIP
Take time now to write a check for your $15.00 membership dues. A copy of the Banks of the Wabash, "Invitation to Join" can be found on our blog site: wabasheriecanal.blogspot.com. Print out the handy "Membership Categories" section, complete the form, mention "Wabash & Erie Towpath" and place in an envelope with your check and mail to Banks of Wabash, PO Box 1253, Lafayette, Indiana 47902 today. Don’t forget to mark “Wabash & Erie Towpath Chapter in the memo portion of your check that credits us with your membership and goes toward our earning a seat on the board of directors.
3. MARKERS/SIGNS
The "Towpath Trail" signs for directing folks along the Wabash Erie Canal route. We have a series of markers being developed.
1. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “Community” markers are intended for villages, towns and cities along the Wabash River to herald their river-centric history. They are used in addition to the usual city limit signs or club postings on existing posts or kiosks. These are being placed by the communities with the help of the River Commissioners from each county. Ron James has inventory “in stock” for requests.
2. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “Trail” markers are intended for multi-use trail heads and along major roads to mark when crossing Wabash River Heritage Corridor (WRHC) multi-use trails. – Ron James has the artwork and is awaiting ‘demand’ for production.
3. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “River Road” markers are intended for use as an introduction to the Corridor. Intended for use on already existing roads more or less parallel to the river, these can be used at major intersections and route heads. Preferably, the routes chosen will be suitable for biking and ‘Sunday’ driving (i.e. not highways). To the extent we want to get something out to the public, and can parallel the canal towpath, these signs are now available through your WRHC River Commissioners – check the WRHCC website for your county’s contact information.
4. Wabash Erie Canal “Towpath Trail” directional signs are for byway routes in each county along roads that closely follow the historic canal towpath. Quotes have been received for counties to begin ordering. Prices are available in various quantities for the sign which measures 6 inch high by 18 inch wide, blue background, on 0.08 gauge aluminum material, “Engineering Grade” surface, double – sided Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail using the colorful logo. A copy of the new directional sign is available.
50 signs: $17.05 each or total cost of $ 852.50.
75 signs: $14.44 each or total cost of $1,083.00.
100 signs: $13.00 each or total cost of $1,300.00.
Directional Arrows come separately since it will be left to the people mounting the signs to determine which way the arrow should point and how many may be needed. These have been quoted as 4 inch by 4 inch in size and there are 10 arrows in each package. The example given by the vendor, notes that a quantity of 5 packages at $9.50 cost $47.50.
4. TOWPATH TO TRAIL QUESTIONNAIRE.
Committee members: Dawn Ritchie, Stanton Lambert, Dan McCain, Derek Reuter, Dan White. Rory presented a draft design used in the National Park Service’s, Towpaths-to-Trails publication that Rory designed and prepared in 1995. for a comprehensive to assist in exploring the risks and opportunities of creating a trail. Responses from persons responding to the questionnaire will be important for producing a Workbook/Manual as a first step explaining the case for our mission to connect/mark a trail along the Wabash Erie Canal Towpath and Wabash River. It will provide a feel for the concerns of both private and public people/institutions/organizations/businesses to learn where a path might be routed. Rory mentioned that the Ohio Erie Canal Towpath has about three gaps of ten miles each. Some parts are well defined but in heavily populated areas it is virtually impossible to follow the original rout. We want to access where or where not a towpath trail is feasible.
5. QUESTIONNAIRE REVIEW
Bob Schmidt’s sub committee to create a list of contacts to send the questionnaire including WRHC Commissioners, County Historians and selected persons along the corridor familiar with canal and river history are: Carolyn Schmidt, Ron James and Tom Castaldi. It was suggested that in the canal counties not a part of the WRHC should request a representative from the county commissioners.
Once the document has been finalized it should be sent and returns analyzed. Rory will work out the details of where the questionnaires will be returned and suggestions for creating a data base to collect and interpret the responses.
6. TRAIL WORKBOOK/MANUAL
Ride, River and Roam, The Wabash Erie Canal Towpath Trail Inventory and Assessment Manual” Data collected from the survey questionnaire will be used to produce the manual. It will take the cooperation people from each county to complete the information required including: maps, land ownership; connection concerns and standards for trail continuity.
7. NEW BUSINESS
Bernie Dahl requested for a copy of the prototype manual for review. The manual has been prepared to explain the overall plan, risks and opportunities as well as illustrate what by roads most closely follow the Wabash Erie Canal Towpath between Fort Wayne and Terre Haute. He is interested in exploring possibilities of gathering information for his university lab class. Such a project might produce a design manual that would include an inventory of necessary work, design of a typical trail head, and other pertinent factors that may be helpful when taking the project to counties for review.
Rory Robinson suggested that a copy of the Ohio and Erie Guidelines may be available for the Wabash Erie Canal project.
8. MEETING ADJOURNED
Our next meeting will be in the Spring in Wabash, Indiana. A date is being targeted for March.
Tom Castaldi
Wabash Erie Canal Trail Moderator
Big Four Depot Lafayette, Indiana, 1:30 p.m. History Center
Hosted by Wabash River Enhancement Corporation
RECAP
1. OPENING REMARKS
Several Chapter members had scheduling conflicts and could not be in attendance and we appreciate their providing advanced notice or representative. Meeting was opened with a thank you by Tom Castaldi to the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation for hosting the meeting, providing refreshments and document copying; Lisa Iversen for maintaining our blog site; and Allen County Fort Wayne History Center for copying meeting agendas.
2. MEMBERSHIP
Take time now to write a check for your $15.00 membership dues. A copy of the Banks of the Wabash, "Invitation to Join" can be found on our blog site: wabasheriecanal.blogspot.com. Print out the handy "Membership Categories" section, complete the form, mention "Wabash & Erie Towpath" and place in an envelope with your check and mail to Banks of Wabash, PO Box 1253, Lafayette, Indiana 47902 today. Don’t forget to mark “Wabash & Erie Towpath Chapter in the memo portion of your check that credits us with your membership and goes toward our earning a seat on the board of directors.
3. MARKERS/SIGNS
The "Towpath Trail" signs for directing folks along the Wabash Erie Canal route. We have a series of markers being developed.
1. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “Community” markers are intended for villages, towns and cities along the Wabash River to herald their river-centric history. They are used in addition to the usual city limit signs or club postings on existing posts or kiosks. These are being placed by the communities with the help of the River Commissioners from each county. Ron James has inventory “in stock” for requests.
2. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “Trail” markers are intended for multi-use trail heads and along major roads to mark when crossing Wabash River Heritage Corridor (WRHC) multi-use trails. – Ron James has the artwork and is awaiting ‘demand’ for production.
3. Wabash River Heritage Corridor “River Road” markers are intended for use as an introduction to the Corridor. Intended for use on already existing roads more or less parallel to the river, these can be used at major intersections and route heads. Preferably, the routes chosen will be suitable for biking and ‘Sunday’ driving (i.e. not highways). To the extent we want to get something out to the public, and can parallel the canal towpath, these signs are now available through your WRHC River Commissioners – check the WRHCC website for your county’s contact information.
4. Wabash Erie Canal “Towpath Trail” directional signs are for byway routes in each county along roads that closely follow the historic canal towpath. Quotes have been received for counties to begin ordering. Prices are available in various quantities for the sign which measures 6 inch high by 18 inch wide, blue background, on 0.08 gauge aluminum material, “Engineering Grade” surface, double – sided Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail using the colorful logo. A copy of the new directional sign is available.
50 signs: $17.05 each or total cost of $ 852.50.
75 signs: $14.44 each or total cost of $1,083.00.
100 signs: $13.00 each or total cost of $1,300.00.
Directional Arrows come separately since it will be left to the people mounting the signs to determine which way the arrow should point and how many may be needed. These have been quoted as 4 inch by 4 inch in size and there are 10 arrows in each package. The example given by the vendor, notes that a quantity of 5 packages at $9.50 cost $47.50.
4. TOWPATH TO TRAIL QUESTIONNAIRE.
Committee members: Dawn Ritchie, Stanton Lambert, Dan McCain, Derek Reuter, Dan White. Rory presented a draft design used in the National Park Service’s, Towpaths-to-Trails publication that Rory designed and prepared in 1995. for a comprehensive to assist in exploring the risks and opportunities of creating a trail. Responses from persons responding to the questionnaire will be important for producing a Workbook/Manual as a first step explaining the case for our mission to connect/mark a trail along the Wabash Erie Canal Towpath and Wabash River. It will provide a feel for the concerns of both private and public people/institutions/organizations/businesses to learn where a path might be routed. Rory mentioned that the Ohio Erie Canal Towpath has about three gaps of ten miles each. Some parts are well defined but in heavily populated areas it is virtually impossible to follow the original rout. We want to access where or where not a towpath trail is feasible.
5. QUESTIONNAIRE REVIEW
Bob Schmidt’s sub committee to create a list of contacts to send the questionnaire including WRHC Commissioners, County Historians and selected persons along the corridor familiar with canal and river history are: Carolyn Schmidt, Ron James and Tom Castaldi. It was suggested that in the canal counties not a part of the WRHC should request a representative from the county commissioners.
Once the document has been finalized it should be sent and returns analyzed. Rory will work out the details of where the questionnaires will be returned and suggestions for creating a data base to collect and interpret the responses.
6. TRAIL WORKBOOK/MANUAL
Ride, River and Roam, The Wabash Erie Canal Towpath Trail Inventory and Assessment Manual” Data collected from the survey questionnaire will be used to produce the manual. It will take the cooperation people from each county to complete the information required including: maps, land ownership; connection concerns and standards for trail continuity.
7. NEW BUSINESS
Bernie Dahl requested for a copy of the prototype manual for review. The manual has been prepared to explain the overall plan, risks and opportunities as well as illustrate what by roads most closely follow the Wabash Erie Canal Towpath between Fort Wayne and Terre Haute. He is interested in exploring possibilities of gathering information for his university lab class. Such a project might produce a design manual that would include an inventory of necessary work, design of a typical trail head, and other pertinent factors that may be helpful when taking the project to counties for review.
Rory Robinson suggested that a copy of the Ohio and Erie Guidelines may be available for the Wabash Erie Canal project.
8. MEETING ADJOURNED
Our next meeting will be in the Spring in Wabash, Indiana. A date is being targeted for March.
Tom Castaldi
Wabash Erie Canal Trail Moderator
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