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HOWLAND -- The Mahoning River has been a central focus in the area for the past few years at both the state and local level, and Howland trustees at Wednesday's meeting approved a resolution aimed at helping to promote its growth.
Trustees approved providing a resolution of support for an application proposing to extend the Mahoning River Water Trail.
The resolution states that Howland will join other entities such as Girard, Weathersfield, McDonald, Youngstown, Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville and Poland, as well as the Mahoning River Corridor Initiative and Mahoning River Corridor Mayors Association to extend it, to encourage tourism and eco-friendly, educational, historical, cultural and recreational activities on the river.
The resolution, a version of which Girard officials passed at the city council meeting Monday, acknowledges that Howland fronts on the Mahoning River and is traversed by Mosquito Creek, one of the river's main tributaries, which provides "significant opportunities" for water-based recreation, wildlife observation and environmental education and conservation.
The resolution states the participating communities recognize the long-term vision of extending the regional water trail network, by developing a future Mosquito Creek Water Trail from the dam to its meeting point with the Mahoning River. The new water trail is expected to enhance regional connectivity, public access, outdoor recreation and the Mahoning River's stewardship.
Planning Director Kim Mascarella said the water trail will be extended all the way down through Lowellville.
"There have been extensive upgrades to parks along the river, dredging of certain parts of the river, the removal of dams," Mascarella said. "That greatly enhances recreational opportunities all along the Mahoning River, and Mosquito Creek drains into the Mahoning River in the front, near Bolindale."
Mascarella said the trail will extend from just Trumbull to both Trumbull and Mahoning counties, but she wasn't sure of its total acreage or linear mileage.