The nonprofit Ma & Pa Heritage Trail, Inc., is planning a rally Saturday to raise awareness about the effort to connect the Bel Air and Forest Hill sections of the trail, but Harford County remains at an impasse with one key landowner over the right-of-way.
The group announced a rally from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, at Williams and Ellendale streets in Bel Air that includes walking the trail.
Rod Bourn, president of the group, and Phil Hosmer, vice-president, said they hope the event, which will feature local musician Kurt Sudbrink and free refreshments, can get the word out about plans to connect the Ma & Pa.
"A lot of people living in the county don't realize there are two distinct sections of the trail," Bourn said Monday. "What we are trying to do with this is to create greater awareness with other county leaders."
The group launched an online petition to support the project, available at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/mapatrailconnect/ .
Meanwhile, Bourn said talks continue with the owners of the property, which used to be the home of Harford Sanitation, on Franklin Street, from whom the county hoped to secure the right-of way. The parcel is owned by the Hooper family and listed as H&H Joint Venture LLC in the state's real property database.
"There hasn't been any significant change," he said about that conversation.
Nevertheless, he and Hosmer remain optimistic.
"I really think if both sides really sit down and take a collaborative approach on this and say, 'Hey, here's my concern, how can we balance this out,' that there's a lot that everyone can take away from negotiating on this," Bourn said. "I really, really, honestly believe this can be a win-win across the board… Let's create an awareness, let's talk about all the possibilities, let's lay everything out on the table and walk through this."
With the rally, "what we are trying to do with this is create greater awareness with other county leaders," Bourn said. "We feel this is a topic that is timely. There are so many benefits that could come from having an 8-mile trail through the county."
Bourn said about 30 people are expected to participate in the rally.
The October date was chosen largely because of the crisp weather, he said.
"Seasonal-wise, it makes sense to do this now," he said.
Paul Magness, chief of capital planning and development for the county's parks and recreation department, said Monday the county is looking at four or five connections, so the Franklin Street property is not necessarily crucial.
"At the moment we are reviewing all the possibilities … We are really early in that," he said. "We are not going to limit ourselves to just that option."
The county has about $150,000 put toward the project in the 2012 capital budget, he said.
The total cost to connect the trail would be about $1 million per mile.
Magness said the county is still looking at a construction date of 2015.
The Ma & Pa Trail consists of a 3.3-mile section in Bel Air and a 1.7-mile segment in Forest Hill.
Town Administrator Chris Schlehr said last year that the Town of Bel Air has also had the right-of-way to extend the trail to that property, and from that property to the town boundary at Moores Mill Road. It acquired the right-of-way about six years ago.
Also in 2010, the town also got an easement from Hickory Vwillage, the new 40-unit condo development off of Moores Mill Road, Schlehr said.