The name Farrington Reserve was selected because the area once was known as Farrington, said Jerry Eldred, park district executive director. The Farrington Reserves lies east of the river, just off County Road 25A, between Troy and Piqua.
The 30 acres purchased by the district included a residence, outbuildings, farm fields and wooded areas.
A two-phase plan for the land’s development is being pursued.
The board, also at the June meeting, approved construction of a parking lot on Peterson Road. The lot will be paid for with Clean Ohio fund dollars received by the district to pay for most of the land-purchase cost. A small gravel trail will extend from the lot to the river.
“This area of the Great Miami River receives considerable fishing and many individuals park directly off the Peterson Road bridge. The parking lot will provide ... an actual designated parking location and better accessibility to the river,” Eldred said.
The trail from the lot to the river will continue southward along the river, providing public fishing accessibility.
The second phase of the development will be an extension of the Piqua section of the county recreation trail that stops some 300 feet north of Peterson Road.
The park district will use local bikeway funds to complete the extension to Peterson Road, Eldred said. The work should be bid and completed yet this year, he said.
More information on area bike trail efforts is available at miamivalleytrails.org. More information on the county park district is available at miamicountyparks.com.
Contact this reporter at nancykburr@aol.com or (937) 339-4371.
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