Pam Liggett, left to right, Kent Witt, and Liggett’s husband, Jim Liggett, all of Sidney, ride their bikes down a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. The three had just attended the ribbon cutting for the fresh stretch of trail on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Retired Sidney Cargill Site Lead Mickey Hammer, of Troy, left, shakes the hand of Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst as Cargill employee Andrea Flowers, of Botkins, also greets Barhorst during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trail Head.
Retired Sidney Cargill Site Lead Mickey Hammer, of Troy, left, shakes the hand of Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst as Cargill employee Andrea Flowers, of Botkins, also greets Barhorst during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trail Head.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
City of Sidney Councilmember Mardi Milligan, center left, and Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst cut the ribbon for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Miami Erie Canal Corridor Association Board President Mary Ann Olding, left, of Minster, talks with Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
A new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. A ceremony was held for it on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier, right, speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. Sitting, left, is Mayor Mike Barhorst. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Retired Shelby County Commissioner Tony Bornhorst, center, speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. Sitting, left to right, is Mayor Mike Barhorst and, Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
State Rep. Tim Barhorst, center, speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. Sitting, left to right, is Mayor Mike Barhorst and, Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Western Ohio Cut Stone President Tom Milligan, center, speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. Sitting, left to right, is Mayor Mike Barhorst and, Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
Retired Cargill Site Lead Mickey Hammer, center, of Troy, speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new stretch of the Canal Feeder Trail. Sitting, left to right, is Mayor Mike Barhorst and, Parks and Recreation Director Duane Gaier. The ceremony was held on Wednesday at the new Kuther Road Trailhead.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — Phase V of the Canal Feeder Trail, located on Kuther Road, was dedicated on Wednesday.
This bike path and trail is just one step further on the path to connect all of Sidney to the Great Miami Riverway.
At this dedication, Mayor Mike Barhorst introduced the many people there to celebrate the opening of this trail. Parks and recreation director Duane Gaier, former commissioner Tony Bornhorst, Watershed Partnerships manager Sarah Hippensteel-Hall, president of the Miami Erie Canal Corridor Association Board Mary Ann Olding, chair of the Sidney recreation board Oshae Peart, State Representative Tim Barhorst, State Representative Susan Manchester, council member Mardi Milligan and her husband president of Western Ohio Cut Stone Tom Milligan and retired site lead of Cargill Mickey Hammer were all present to speak.
Duane Gaier was the first to speak and share his appreciation for all the people that were integral to making this event happen.
Tony Bornhorst, who worked on the Canal Feeder trail throughout his time in office, offered a few words on the importance of this next step.
“Shelby County has so many jobs and so many job openings, and we want to attract those workers here. And it’s called placemaking. Making the place you want to live, recreate, raise your family and spend your lifetime. And this is another important piece of that cog, making that placemaking happen,” Bornhorst said.
“The huge theme that I heard today, with everyone speaking, was togetherness. And I think that theme runs deep because what we’re trying to do now is just to bring everyone together and bring all the trails together… It just shows that Shelby County and Miami County are going to be growing exponentially,” Oshae Peart said.
Susan Manchester, who is currently running unopposed as the next state Senator of Shelby County, spoke on her experience working with Mayor Barhorst and Tony Bornhorst on this project.
“I was in the legislature representing portions of Shelby County when commissioner Bornhorst and Mayor Barhorst were pestering my office about making sure that we got the funding that they needed to make this project happen… I say that with all love and kindness because you both did such an excellent job advocation for this project and making sure we got to this moment today,” Manchester said.
Mardi and Tom Milligan own property that this trail passes over and, with their help and cooperation, this project was allowed to continue through their land. Tom spoke for them both when talking about how happy they were to be able to provide aid in this project.
“I’m very pleased with the all of the work that the public sector has done, but I’m pleased to say that it takes private sector and public sector to get these things done. And I guess today we kind of represent that private sector of how these things happen,” Milligan said.
This is not the first time his family has been able to provide land for projects in Shelby County. His grandparents were founders of Tawawa Park, and his grandmother gave land to Tawawa later in her life. He and Mardi are continuing that tradition through this trail.
The next step in this project is extend the pave trail into Lockington. The trail will eventually connect to Miami County and the rest of the Great Miami Riverway Trail.
Reach Sidney Daily News reporter Anna Edmiston at 937-538-4825.
