Boardwalk construction on the Towpath Trial outside of Zoar in Tuscarawas County. Photo courtesy George Ebey.

Construction crews have been working to expand the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Tuscarawas County building an additional 2.7 miles from Zoar to Zoarville. This will make 83.7 miles of the trail  completed from New Philadelphia to Cleveland, with 16.3 additional miles being developed in Tuscarawas, Stark and Cuyahoga counties. Currently they working to finish boardwalks near the wetland areas.
George Ebey of Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition tells me that the volunteer effort to build the boardwalks in Tuscarawas has been phenomenal. The first of the 2 boardwalks is completed and they have started on the second.
Here is his request for volunteers:

“We will be conducting another boardwalk volunteer workday this Saturday, May 4th on the Towpath Trail outside of Zoar in Tuscarawas County.  All of the posts are set and the frames are hung.  All that is left to do is to lay the final pieces of decking and finish installing the handrails.  We anticipate this to be the final workday for this project.  If  you are interested in participating please let me know.  We still need plenty of help to finish up this last remaining section.

We are particularly looking for anyone who has a cordless drill for laying the decking.  We will meet at the Canal Lands lot on Dover Zoar Rd at 8:00 am and then relocate to the worksite from there.  All volunteers are welcome and lunch will be provided.

In addition, there is a section of ground at the Canal Lands lot that needs to be seeded for grass.  This area is hard packed and will need to be tilled up before the seed can be set.  We are looking for anyone with a rototiller who would be willing to come out this day and help us till up the ground for seeding.  The more of these we have the better.  If you or anyone you know would be interested in helping with this please let me know.

Thank  you for your time and consideration.
George Ebey