PARK DISTRICT LOOKS TO DEVELOP HARDY ROAD AREA

Officials from Metro Parks, Serving Summit County will soon unveil a concept plan for the Hardy Road Area, part of Hampton Hills Metro Park in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.

The Board of Park Commissioners authorized staff Wednesday, May 22, to apply for Summit County Community Grant funding for new trail development. A public meeting is scheduled Tuesday, June 4, from 5 to 7 p.m., at F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (1828 Smith Rd., Akron).

On the drawing board are more than seven miles of mountain bike trails and two new parking lots: one on Akron-Peninsula Road, south of Bath Road in Akron, and a second on Hardy Road, west of Theiss Road in Akron.

The park district may also connect the Hardy Road Area to the Towpath Trail via a link to the Botzum Trailhead (2928 Riverview Rd., Akron).

The 655-acre Hampton Hills Metro Park began in 1963 with the lease of 116 acres from the City of Akron. A donation by the Adam Family followed in 1967, adding 162 acres that made possible the Top O’ the World Area (1285 Bath Rd., Cuyahoga Falls).

In 2010, the park district leased the 377-acre Hardy Road Area – land surrounding the former Hardy Road landfill, but not the landfill itself – from the City of Akron. The latest lease includes the Bath Road Heronry, located between Akron-Peninsula and Riverview roads in Akron at the southern boundary of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Currently, Hampton Hills Metro Park includes two of the district’s most challenging hiking trails – the 3.2-mile Adam Run Trail and the 1.6-mile Spring Hollow Trail – and three entrances, including lots on Akron-Peninsula, W. Steels Corners and Bath roads. The proposed mountain bike trails would not connect with the existing hiking trails. 

For more information about the public meeting, call 330-867-5511 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.