By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Paint Creek trail enthusiasts know the trail ends at Atwater Commons behind the CVS in downtown Lake Orion and it is up to them to connect to their next destination.
What they might not know, however, is a new connection is within their grasp.
On August 6 community members, local stakeholders, Orion Area Chamber Commerce members, Lake Orion and Oxford safety path committee members, village and township officials, anyone, has an opportunity to voice their ideas and opinions on how a new connection can be built.
Ultimately the idea is to link the Paint Creek Trail with the Polly Ann Trail, a bare-bones, $50,000 project Lake Orion considered once before. Now, with possible help of a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant, the Downtown Development Authority would like to plan a $250,000 project requiring the district to front only about $60,000.
The DDA and Paint Creek Trailway Commission invite interested participants to the Orion Art Center August 6 between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to discuss a building strategy for an extension of the Paint Creek Trail.
The agenda is as follows:
? 1:00 p.m.: Municipal representatives’Village of Lake Orion administration, council, DDA, parks, planning, police, fire and DPW
? 2:00 p.m.: DDA businesses, property owners, Orion Area Chamber Members and other stakeholders
? 3:00 p.m.: Polly Ann Trail & Paint Creek Trail groups and surrounding community representatives (Orion Township, Oxford Township, Village of Oxford)
? 4:00 p.m.: Walk the potential connector routes (optional)
? 5:00 p.m.: User survey and general public comment
? 5:30 p.m.: Project presentation
? 5:45 p.m.: Mapping exercise
? 6:30 p.m.: Brainstorming and general public comment
? 7:00 p.m.: Adjourn