New trail, more coming to Hamilton area park

MetroParks of Butler County will receive a grant for nearly $700,000 to enhance the Timberman Ridge Area of Forest Run MetroPark, which borders the city of Hamilton in Ross Twp., just south of New London Road.

The MetroParks project includes reforestation of 9.8 acres, paving 1.3 miles of 10-foot wide multi-purpose trail, and installing a parking lot and driveway at the site during 2018, said Kelly Barkley, a MetroParks spokeswoman.

MetroParks was recently notified that the Natural Resources Council, which scores Clean Ohio grant applications for Butler, Warren, Clinton and Clermont counties, had voted to approve $691,023 in funding for the enhancements.

She said the grant will enable MetroParks to leverage other contributions and resources with the state grant to complete the planned park improvements that are estimated to cost a total of $921,523.

Barkley said a private contribution of $225,000, nearly 25 percent of the project costs, from the Richard J. Fitton Family Foundation assisted MetroParks in obtaining the $691,023 in funding from the Clean Ohio Grant Program.

MetroParks will contribute approximately $5,500 towards the project costs, she said.

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