SKP History
The Simon Kenton Pathfinders were created in July of 1997 to explore the development of a shared-use trail in Champaign County. Interest has grown from the original 17 members to 350 dues paying members as of March 2007. Our route follows the unused Erie-Lackawanna railway from County Line Road north to East Lawn Avenue, and then turns south along East Lawn Avenue, then east on Children's Home Road, then South through Melvin Miller City Park, connecting to the Champaign County Library and YMCA. We partnered with Clark County to continue the Simon Kenton Trail to make connection to Buck Creek Trail already developed in the City of Springfield; this trail makes the connection to the Little Miami Scenic Trail in Greene County which connects the entire route to the Ohio to Erie Trail. The Ohio to Erie Trail is a trail being developed from the Ohio River to Lake Erie.
The Champaign County Commissioners have given official support for this project. We collaborated with the Commissioners to apply for a Transportation Enhancement Activity grant, which we received on April 20, 1999 for $272,397,000 for the construction part of Phase 1. We raised the funds required to meet the 20% match and purchased the land with private donations and fund raisers. The land was transferred from the West Central Port Authority to the Commissioners on July 18, 2000 the funds to pay for this land were raised by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. Engineering and design would have had to be paid for by the Pathfinders were donated. Phase 2 was partnership between Clark County Commissioners, National Trail Park and Recreation District, City of Springfield, West Central Ohio Port Authority, Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee, with the Champaign County Commissioners as the lead government agency for all funds. The funding that was received for Phase 2 was the 2nd largest in the State of Ohio. The Pathfinders raised the fund for the match of 25% for the grant for Champaign Counties portion of the trail, (Woodburn Road to County Line Road) No County or City funds have been used to construct the trail. The section through the City of Urbana received earmark of funds by Congressman David Hobson when he was our Congressional Representative in the amount of one point one million dollars. This grant along with another grant from The Ohio Department of Natural Resources of two-hundred any fifty thousand dollars have made the connection of the trail and box culvert possible for the 6.5 miles if trail in the City of Urbana.
In July of 2003 the Simon Kenton Pathfinders purchased the old Pennsylvania Railroad Station, 644 Miami Street, for the sole purpose to restore and update the rest rooms for trail users and community. In order to apply for funds to update the building, the building had to be owned by a government agent. In March of 2005 the Pathfinders sold the building to the City of Urbana. The City received funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation in March 2005 of $544,000 to restore and repair the outside of the building, put new restrooms and new street lights, landscaping, and sidewalks. In December 2006 the City of Urbana leased the Urbana Station back to the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. April 15, 2007 the depot officially opened to the public for a rest area and rest room facilities.
The Simon Kenton Pathfinders has leased the space to a locally owned coffeehouse that is operated by the Oelker family, the hours are listed on their website, click on picture. >>>>>>>
In July 2007 the Simon Kenton Pathfinders installed bike lockers on the grounds at the depot on Miami Street. They will be leased to individuals for a period of one year at a time.
The Simon Kenton Pathfinders have joined forces with the Champaign County Preservation Alliance, the Champaign Historical Society, and Simon Kenton Historical Corridor to identify historical sites along the the path and in the City of Urbana. Historical markers will be placed along the route. These historical markers will honor the railroads and historic sites that are part of our rich history and have served the City of Urbana and Champaign County. Two old railroad cars have been donated and are being restored by several organizations and students and will be used as informational centers and rest stops along the trail.
All the money that is raised by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders goes back into the fund to help with maintenance of trail and to create the endowment for future development. We are a total volunteer organization.
July 1997 – Simon Kenton Pathfinders founded with 17 members to develop a shared-use trail in Champaign County. (Now 200+ members.)
April 20, 1999 – Awarded $272,397 Transportation Enhancement Activity grant, in partnership with Champaign County commissioners, to construct Phase 1 of the Simon Kenton Trail (SKT) with 20% local match.
July 18, 2000 – Land for trail purchased with funds raised by SKP transferred from West Central Ohio Port Authority to the county commissioners.
July 1, 2001 – First section of the SKT is opened.
October 4, 2002 – Received $450,000 for Phase 2, in first year of Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant program. SKP raised the 25% match to extend the trail from Woodburn to County Line Road.
July 2003 – SKP purchased the old Pennsylvania Railroad Station, 644 Miami St., to restore and update the building for trail users and the community.
September 27, 2003 – Phase 2 completed as a partnership led by the Champaign County commissioners and including the Clark County commissioners, National Trails Park and Recreation District, City of Springfield, West Central Ohio Port Authority and Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee.
October 17, 2004 – Completed 6.5 mile-section of SKP in City of Urbana with $1.1 million in federal funds plus a $250,000 ODNR grant.
March 2005 – SKP sold the building to the City of Urbana so it could qualify for funds for renovation. The City received $544,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for restoration, repair, new restrooms, landscaping, sidewalks and street lights.
Fall 2006 – Representatives of West Liberty and Bellefontaine met to join SKP and pursue connection of the trail to Logan County.
December 2006 – The City leased the depot to SKP.
April 15, 2007 – Depot opened to the public as a rest area, and SKP leased space to the Depot Coffeehouse.
July 2007 – SKP installed bike lockers at the depot on Miami Street. Available for one-year lease.
November 2007 – Began planning Phase 1 of the Urbana- Bellefontaine Connector of the SKT (1.25 miles from the Urbana Depot to near Grimes Field airport), collaborating with the City of Urbana.
Fall 2011 – Entered partnership with the City of Bellefontaine to apply for a Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant from the ODNR to fund Phase 2 of the Bellefontaine Connector, the largest section of trail to be developed in SKP’s history: 16.8 miles.
June 2012 – Phase 1 of Northern Connector of Simon Kenton Trail completed.
December 2012 -- Awarded $500,000 Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant with 25% local match ($300,000) for Phase 2 connector construction.
July 28, 2014. Started construction of Phase 2 of the Northern Connector
May 2015– Opening of trail extension to Bellefontaine. A Crushed aggregate trail.
2014 - SKP completed the construction of the 16 mile extension from the north corporation of Urbana to Carter Avenue in Bellefontaine. This 10 feet wide trail section was constructed utilizing crushed limestone which expanded recreational, social and economic benefits to the citizens of Champaign and Logan counties.
Fall of 2017 - The Simon Kenton Pathfinders in the chipped/sealed a 2.12 mile section of the trail from the end of the present asphalt pavement north of Urbana to S.R. 296. In 2018 another 2.30 miles were chipped/sealed south from Carter Avenue in Bellefontaine to T.R. 199. We have plans to chip/seal another 7.80 miles located in both counties this summer. This will leave approximately 3.60 miles estimated at $55,000 to complete the entire hard surfaced trail from Urbana to Bellefontaine.
The Champaign County Commissioners have given official support for this project. We collaborated with the Commissioners to apply for a Transportation Enhancement Activity grant, which we received on April 20, 1999 for $272,397,000 for the construction part of Phase 1. We raised the funds required to meet the 20% match and purchased the land with private donations and fund raisers. The land was transferred from the West Central Port Authority to the Commissioners on July 18, 2000 the funds to pay for this land were raised by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. Engineering and design would have had to be paid for by the Pathfinders were donated. Phase 2 was partnership between Clark County Commissioners, National Trail Park and Recreation District, City of Springfield, West Central Ohio Port Authority, Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee, with the Champaign County Commissioners as the lead government agency for all funds. The funding that was received for Phase 2 was the 2nd largest in the State of Ohio. The Pathfinders raised the fund for the match of 25% for the grant for Champaign Counties portion of the trail, (Woodburn Road to County Line Road) No County or City funds have been used to construct the trail. The section through the City of Urbana received earmark of funds by Congressman David Hobson when he was our Congressional Representative in the amount of one point one million dollars. This grant along with another grant from The Ohio Department of Natural Resources of two-hundred any fifty thousand dollars have made the connection of the trail and box culvert possible for the 6.5 miles if trail in the City of Urbana.
In July of 2003 the Simon Kenton Pathfinders purchased the old Pennsylvania Railroad Station, 644 Miami Street, for the sole purpose to restore and update the rest rooms for trail users and community. In order to apply for funds to update the building, the building had to be owned by a government agent. In March of 2005 the Pathfinders sold the building to the City of Urbana. The City received funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation in March 2005 of $544,000 to restore and repair the outside of the building, put new restrooms and new street lights, landscaping, and sidewalks. In December 2006 the City of Urbana leased the Urbana Station back to the Simon Kenton Pathfinders. April 15, 2007 the depot officially opened to the public for a rest area and rest room facilities.
The Simon Kenton Pathfinders has leased the space to a locally owned coffeehouse that is operated by the Oelker family, the hours are listed on their website, click on picture. >>>>>>>
In July 2007 the Simon Kenton Pathfinders installed bike lockers on the grounds at the depot on Miami Street. They will be leased to individuals for a period of one year at a time.
The Simon Kenton Pathfinders have joined forces with the Champaign County Preservation Alliance, the Champaign Historical Society, and Simon Kenton Historical Corridor to identify historical sites along the the path and in the City of Urbana. Historical markers will be placed along the route. These historical markers will honor the railroads and historic sites that are part of our rich history and have served the City of Urbana and Champaign County. Two old railroad cars have been donated and are being restored by several organizations and students and will be used as informational centers and rest stops along the trail.
All the money that is raised by the Simon Kenton Pathfinders goes back into the fund to help with maintenance of trail and to create the endowment for future development. We are a total volunteer organization.
July 1997 – Simon Kenton Pathfinders founded with 17 members to develop a shared-use trail in Champaign County. (Now 200+ members.)
April 20, 1999 – Awarded $272,397 Transportation Enhancement Activity grant, in partnership with Champaign County commissioners, to construct Phase 1 of the Simon Kenton Trail (SKT) with 20% local match.
July 18, 2000 – Land for trail purchased with funds raised by SKP transferred from West Central Ohio Port Authority to the county commissioners.
July 1, 2001 – First section of the SKT is opened.
October 4, 2002 – Received $450,000 for Phase 2, in first year of Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant program. SKP raised the 25% match to extend the trail from Woodburn to County Line Road.
July 2003 – SKP purchased the old Pennsylvania Railroad Station, 644 Miami St., to restore and update the building for trail users and the community.
September 27, 2003 – Phase 2 completed as a partnership led by the Champaign County commissioners and including the Clark County commissioners, National Trails Park and Recreation District, City of Springfield, West Central Ohio Port Authority and Clark County Transportation Coordinating Committee.
October 17, 2004 – Completed 6.5 mile-section of SKP in City of Urbana with $1.1 million in federal funds plus a $250,000 ODNR grant.
March 2005 – SKP sold the building to the City of Urbana so it could qualify for funds for renovation. The City received $544,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for restoration, repair, new restrooms, landscaping, sidewalks and street lights.
Fall 2006 – Representatives of West Liberty and Bellefontaine met to join SKP and pursue connection of the trail to Logan County.
December 2006 – The City leased the depot to SKP.
April 15, 2007 – Depot opened to the public as a rest area, and SKP leased space to the Depot Coffeehouse.
July 2007 – SKP installed bike lockers at the depot on Miami Street. Available for one-year lease.
November 2007 – Began planning Phase 1 of the Urbana- Bellefontaine Connector of the SKT (1.25 miles from the Urbana Depot to near Grimes Field airport), collaborating with the City of Urbana.
Fall 2011 – Entered partnership with the City of Bellefontaine to apply for a Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant from the ODNR to fund Phase 2 of the Bellefontaine Connector, the largest section of trail to be developed in SKP’s history: 16.8 miles.
June 2012 – Phase 1 of Northern Connector of Simon Kenton Trail completed.
December 2012 -- Awarded $500,000 Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant with 25% local match ($300,000) for Phase 2 connector construction.
July 28, 2014. Started construction of Phase 2 of the Northern Connector
May 2015– Opening of trail extension to Bellefontaine. A Crushed aggregate trail.
2014 - SKP completed the construction of the 16 mile extension from the north corporation of Urbana to Carter Avenue in Bellefontaine. This 10 feet wide trail section was constructed utilizing crushed limestone which expanded recreational, social and economic benefits to the citizens of Champaign and Logan counties.
Fall of 2017 - The Simon Kenton Pathfinders in the chipped/sealed a 2.12 mile section of the trail from the end of the present asphalt pavement north of Urbana to S.R. 296. In 2018 another 2.30 miles were chipped/sealed south from Carter Avenue in Bellefontaine to T.R. 199. We have plans to chip/seal another 7.80 miles located in both counties this summer. This will leave approximately 3.60 miles estimated at $55,000 to complete the entire hard surfaced trail from Urbana to Bellefontaine.