County projects included in OMEGA Appalachian Community Grant Program Application
The Coshocton County Board of Commissioners is proud to announce local projects included in the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA)’s regional Appalachian Community Grant (ACG) Program application called Destination Appalachia: Pathway to Prosperity. The application was submitted on Dec. 8 and is now under review by the Governor’s Office of Appalachia for potential funding.
Among the 41 regionally transformative projects from across the 10-county OMEGA region, included in the application were four from Coshocton County. These include the Pastime Theater restoration, the Coshocton Train Depot Plaza enhancement, the Wills Creek Mountain Bike Trail and Campgrounds development, and the Skip’s Landing Expansion to Downtown Revitalization project.
At the confluence of the Walhonding and Tuscarawas Rivers lies Skip’s Landing, which provides residents and visitors with picturesque outdoor recreation opportunities and serves as a community gathering and event space. The proposed Skip’s Landing expansion includes a food access point for farmers market with permanent structures and additional public seating. Connectivity of walkways by way of the existing McWane River Walk trail further guides guests to the charming downtown business and entertainment district where streetscape improvements are planned along multiple blocks.
The proposed Pastime Theater restoration would complete work which began in the early 2000s in Downtown Coshocton. The historic theater underwent a partial expansion at the turn of the millennium, which was unable to be completed at the time. The 454-seat theater would present the community and surrounding area with a unique, culturally enriching entertainment and tourism opportunity. The theater is also connected to the Coshocton Collaborative, which was selected for technical assistance funding under the ACG Program. The Pastime Theater is also part of a greater Appalachian regional theater consortium which includes Zanesville’s Secrest Auditorium, Cambridge’s Performing Arts Center, and Barnesville’s State Theater.
In cooperation with Tuscarawas County and the Dennison Depot, the Coshocton Train Depot Plaza has also been included in Destination Appalachia: Pathway to Prosperity. The Dennison and Ohio (D&O) tourism train would connect Dennison, Newcomerstown, and Coshocton; allowing visitors and residents to access an additional mode of transportation and travel the region for recreational purposes. The D&O currently operates a Polar Express-like service and will expand its 31-year-old passenger excursion, itinerary and services, including a new train car for transporting recreational equipment such as bicycles and kayaks. The Coshocton Train Depot Plaza would welcome visitors to the community, creating another unique cultural, tourism opportunity along the community’s trail and river corridor enhancements.
Building upon Coshocton’s robust outdoor recreation and tourism activities is the proposed Wills Creek Mountain Bike Trail and Campgrounds. If selected for funding, a world-class mountain bike trail would be constructed within Linton Township. Primitive campgrounds would be included to bolster this one-of-a-kind outdoor recreation system.
“This grant program marked a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Appalachian region, and I am most proud of the spirit of collaboration that was demonstrated throughout the process among our partnering constituents,” said Dr. Vicki King-Maple, Executive Director of OMEGA. “We carefully vetted over 90 projects, and Coshocton’s proposals not only demonstrated the ability to deliver transformational, sustainable projects, but they did so through quantifiable, actionable, and achievable outcomes and research – leaving us incredibly hopeful that they will be funded.”
Coshocton County Commissioner Dane Shryock said, “In today’s society, it has become increasingly important for communities to have opportunities for outdoor recreation, especially trails and walking paths. Studies have proven that spending time outdoors not only benefits the mental and physical health of individuals but also increases local business, provides an enhanced quality of life, and helps to provide a higher sense of home-town pride. With the addition of the Past-time Theater and Coshocton City Street Scape to our downtown, we feel very confident that the projects occurring throughout Coshocton County will be transformational and sustainable.”
If selected for funding under the ACG Program, the projects outlined would increase tourism, foster economic development, and improve quality of life for all who call Coshocton home. Economic development professionals, elected officials, and constituents of Coshocton County have rallied together in the spirit of community betterment and collaboration to make these proposed projects a success and a hopeful reality.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
