City of Zanesville receives $1.7M grant from state for Canal Park Trail

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ZANESVILLE − The city of Zanesville will see an influx of $1.7M to fund the Canal Park Trail project thanks to the Appalachian Community Grant Program.

The program funneled $500 million into Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region to transform communities through economic development projects. It was instituted in 2022 by Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik, in conjunction with the Ohio General Assembly.

The Canal Park Trail project was a recipient of the Appalachian Waterfront Development money under the Appalachian Community Grant Program.

Zanesville will receive $1.7M to fund the Canal Park Trail project thanks to the Appalachian Community Grant Program. The Canal Park Trail will begin at East Main Street, just east of the Y Bridge at the Muskingum River Parkway and ends at the historic Lock #10. The project is set to begin in November, with completion in October of 2026.
Zanesville will receive $1.7M to fund the Canal Park Trail project thanks to the Appalachian Community Grant Program. The Canal Park Trail will begin at East Main Street, just east of the Y Bridge at the Muskingum River Parkway and ends at the historic Lock #10. The project is set to begin in November, with completion in October of 2026.

“We did a statistically balanced survey (in preparation for the 2021, five-year operating levy which passed) and it gave us a great snapshot of what the residents of Muskingum County wanted,” said Russ Edgington, executive director of the Muskingum Valley Park District, who will oversee the Canal Park Trail project. “The number one thing they wanted was paved recreational trails that connected communities together.”

And that’s exactly what they plan to do.

According to the grant application, the Canal Park Trail begins at East Main Street in Zanesville, just east of the Y Bridge at the Muskingum River Parkway and ends at the historic Lock #10, which is a working double lock still operating as it did when it was built 170 years ago. The project will improve the water trail access and canal towpath, according to the application and will be “transformational” for the area.

Logistically, according to the grant application, “Canal Park Trail will run parallel to the existing parking lot at the Muskingum River Parkway and will extend east, or downriver, to the existing gravel walking path.

“The project will upgrade the existing gravel path along the canal, extend past the lock tender's house, and terminate at Lock #10 with a proposed trailhead,” according to the grant application, which continues “the project will include benches, educational kiosks, a deck overlooking the river with picnic tables, stone seat walls, lighting along the path, and landscaping.”

The Canal Park Trail will end at the historic Lock #10 along the Muskingum River, which is a working double lock still operating as it did when it was built 170 years ago. The project will include benches, educational kiosks, a deck overlooking the river with picnic tables, stone seat walls, lighting along the path, and landscaping.
The Canal Park Trail will end at the historic Lock #10 along the Muskingum River, which is a working double lock still operating as it did when it was built 170 years ago. The project will include benches, educational kiosks, a deck overlooking the river with picnic tables, stone seat walls, lighting along the path, and landscaping.

According to Edgington, after the project is complete, Zanesville residents will be able to go to the Sixth Street Bridge, walk down the stairs to the path, and if they choose to go south, they’ll end up at the Canal Lock that’s currently being restored, and if they go north, they’ll end at the Y Bridge, all with improved lighting, paved trails, and more open access.Edgington said recognizing the contribution that improving waterfronts and trails makes to economic development in Zanesville and areas like it is crucial to tourism and growth.

“People relocate to areas where there are great parks and recreational amenities,” said Edgington. “The time is right for this kind of work. There’s a huge return in the economic development of enhancing these communities.

“This is a rebirth for a lot of these communities,” said Edgington of the impact of the Appalachian Community Grant program. “And certainly, for our community as well.”

According to the grant application, project construction is set to begin in November, with completion in October of 2026.

“(These grants are) a wise investment in the state of Ohio, because you’re talking about areas that have been economically challenged,” said Edgington. “Capturing the tourism potential is a God-send for a lot of these communities.”

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Zanesville receives $1.7M grant from state for Canal Park Trail