A local group is moving its ideas down the path.
Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways (PKP) is working on hiking trails, mountain biking trails, designing a building, and generally bringing their goals toward reality.
PKP hosted a meeting Oct. 15 to discuss some mountain biking possibilities in the area of Kinzua Dam and and Jakes Rocks.
Joining PKP were representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Pennsylvania Wilds, Northern Alleghenies Mountain Bicycling Association (NAMBA), International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), and an international trail design expert.
"Fostering partnerships is at the core of the Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways plan," PKP team member Coralee Wenzel said. "We are pleased that we were able to bring key groups together for this meeting."
The groups discussed possibilities for trail designs and funding.
"The plan is for (a) 25 to 30 mile stacked loop, natural surface trail system," IMBA's Frank McGuire said. "Stacked loop refers to multiple loops, building off a central trail head, allowing for multiple ride options, increasing challenges and difficulty."
The proposed trails would not require any surfacing materials, except "where special circumstances require," he said.
The stacked loop and natural surface are the elements that visitors will be looking for.
"Such a system is needed to create a destination trail network," McGuire said. "One that will draw people from a six-hour radius to come spend a weekend (or more) in the area."
He said a similar project called for 9,000 traveling visitors in its first year. That estimate was "well under the actual visit number," he said.
"The meeting was followed by a field trip to the proposed location for the trails," PKP's Ines Nelson said.
"We are in complete awe of the beauty and potential the area offers," McGuire said.
The Jakes Rocks/Kinzua Dam area is not the only spot PKP is eyeing for trails, but it's their first shot. "This project is focused on the connectivity and historical awareness in and around the Jakes Rocks, Kinzua Point, Kinzua Beach, and Rimrock areas," Nelson said. "For now, this is the only area we are focusing on."
Kinzua Point building
PKP has acquired conceptual drawings for a visitors center to replace the existing Kinzua Point Information Center on Route 59 northeast of Kinzua Dam
Using proposed features from the PKP Formal Findings Report, Inscale Architects donated drawings of a possible multi-level structure.
"Designed as a flagship for green construction, the facility would offer food concessions, an Artisan Trail gift shop, areas designated for historical and museum-quality displays, a high-tech digital theater, an entire level dedicated to learning and meetings with presentation rooms/classrooms, and an observatory platform on the top level," Nelson said. "All levels would maximize the view of the reservoir."
"The exterior would feature an outdoor amphitheater, a kiosk for a canoe livery and bike rental business, walkways to a proposed dock and connector trails to the southern tip of the reservoir as well as the trail connecting this visitors center to the Kinzua Dam," Nelson said. "We are tremendously grateful to Jeff and Donna Zariczny for their support of the project and creative vision."
The group hopes the building, which will be Allegheny National Forest property, to "increase connectivity in the area, increase historical awareness, educate visitors, promote geotourism and good stewardship standards, and provide small business opportunities," Nelson said.
The building could provide services to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates of visits to their visitors center at the dam. "There are tens of millions of people that live within a day's drive of Warren," Nelson said. "The visitor potential is exponential."
If the project is fully approved and moves ahead as quickly as possible, it could start as soon as fall 2010, Nelson said. "Realistically, this one may be four to five years out."
The green construction component could include geothermal environmental controls, solar supplemental energy, eco-friendly materials and processes, and the use of wind or other natural power, Nelson said.
"We believe that there is a relatively unexplored middle ground between inefficient conventional construction and high-cost green architecture," Jeff Zariczny said. "It is in this area that a real-world difference can be made."
He said site and habitat disturbance would be minimized, sunlight would be utilized to reduce dependence on electric light, high-mass walls would increase insulation values, and rain and greywater capture would reduce the water use at the facility, in addition to other green construction methods.
No cost analysis has been done for the building, according to Nelson. "We are hoping to see local, state and federal governmental entities partner on this project for funding purposes," she said. "PKP will also work with the RC&D (Resource Conservation and Development) in exploring grant opportunities."
