Cleveland Metroparks today celebrated the highly anticipated opening of the Mastick Road Connector Trail. The one third of a mile long trail offers a new connection from the city of Fairview Park to Rocky River Reservation, linking more than 3,700 residents who live within a mile, as well as Fairview Park’s civic center, library, and several schools.
Guests can access the trail near the intersection of Eaton and Mastick Roads in Fairview Park and travel into the reservation to the intersection of Valley Parkway and Mastick Road.
“Enhancing strategic connections to our communities is at the heart of Cleveland Metroparks mission and uplifts the quality of life for residents of Northeast Ohio by fostering connections to nature,” said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian M. Zimmerman. “These accomplishments are a testament to the strong civic partnerships throughout the region.”
The new 10 foot wide all purpose trail incorporates the side-hill bridge replacement that was constructed by Cuyahoga County in 2021 in anticipation of the trail design and build. The bridge replacement was one of several improvements along Mastick Road that were completed as part of the Cuyahoga Greenways Plan aimed at enhancing the county’s network of trails to accommodate users of all ages and abilities.
"Cuyahoga County is committed to creating a more connected and vibrant community for all," said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. "The opening of the Mastick Road Connector Trail is a vital link between our cities and provides greater access to our outdoor spaces. We are proud to partner with the Cleveland Metroparks on this effort, which not only enhances our multimodal vision for the County but also encourages more people to enjoy the natural beauty of our region."
"The Mastick Road Connector Trail is another example of positive collaboration with the City of Fairview Park, Cleveland Metroparks, and the County, which has created a better quality of life for the region. We look forward to the future and celebrating the beauty of our natural assets with all parties for many years to come,” said City of Fairview Park Mayor Bill Schneider. “Special thanks to the staff from Cleveland Metroparks for their work getting this project to this point."
The trail was constructed in two segments around the bridge by the Schirmer Construction Company of North Olmsted. Cleveland Metroparks received a $500,000 grant for the trail through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Clean Ohio Trails Fund towards the $2.3M project and Fairview Park secured $125,000 in grant funding for the trail crossing atop Mastick Hill from Cuyahoga County Community Development Block Grant funding.
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