Introduction: A project with a
long history
Even after a more than two hundred years of industrial activity in
its various incarnations, western Pennsylvania is still a wild and
scenic place. It's difficult to imagine what things used to be like
before today's highways, bridges, and railroads made it possible to
zip from one ridge or valley to the next. The rugged topography which
proved to be well-suited for coal extraction and the steep forests
with seemingly endless timber supplies were formidable obstacles of
yesteryear. The 2400-foot tall Allegheny Ridge (also called the Allegheny
Front) was the most formidable of these barriers, until the era of
Pennsylvania's first major transportation improvement -the historic
Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. Completed in 1834, the Pennsylvania
Main Line Canal System paved the way for expansion westward from Philadelphia,
across the Alleghenies to Pittsburgh, and beyond. A way of life sprang
up along this corridor as Pennsylvania prepared for a century of nation-building.
Communities along the route shared a common legacy. The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg
Mainline Canal Greenway™ is the next chapter in this story.
Allegheny Ridge Corporation manages the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg
Mainline Canal Greenway™ that lies within a single historic landscape
once traversed by the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal System. The initiative
brings together:
Making New Connections Between
Old Neighbors™
The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway™ was conceived
out of the opportunity for connectivity and identity as a unifying
initiative, capitalizing on the readiness of groups throughout the
corridor to create recreation, heritage, and environmental projects
consistent with their organization's mission and vision. These efforts
project the idea of a large landscape initiative, or greenway, and
serve as the connecting pieces.
Since designation of the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal
Greenway™, named Pennsylvania's Millennium Legacy Trail, partners
throughout the 320-mile corridor have used the expertise of the Allegheny
Ridge Corporation (ARCorp) to meet many of these initial goals and
to expand their vision to include new initiatives like Arts Along
the Greenway and the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Water Trail. Following
the historic path of the PA Main Line Canal System in a two-mile-wide
swath, the Greenway encompasses the Allegheny, Kiski-Conemaugh, Juniata
and Susquehanna rivers, meandering through communities between Pittsburgh
and Harrisburg as a network of individual initiatives managed by local
partners throughout the corridor. Through a multi-disciplinary approach,
the Greenway addresses recreation opportunities, heritage preservation,
environmental stewardship, and economic development.
The Greenway was conceived to fulfill three primary roles:
-
a resource for local citizens, decision makers, and project managers
who envision a bright future for their rivers, forests, and towns,
and are willing to work toward that vision in partnership with
others
-
a forum for encouraging inter-municipal cooperation and knowledge
sharing
- an "umbrella" presence that can consistently promote
the many unique resources of the corridor to tourist markets, while
seeking out new funding sources to be utilized for local efforts
and initiatives
The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway™ brings
together history, people, and planning. The Greenway itself incorporates
trail systems for recreation and connection to surrounding communities,
effectively providing an interconnected alliance of geographical identities
and an overall advancement of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It
not only creates individual recreation opportunities, but also links
them into a region-wide network of trails and parks. ARCorp brings
together existing institutions in partnerships and affiliations to
preserve, interpret, develop, and use the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg
Corridor's resources and to create a new industry in cultural tourism.
Overview
The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway™ is a 320-mile
corridor that follows the historic path of the Main Line Canal System.
It intends to serve as a physical connector that improves opportunities
for public access, linkage to important destinations, and economic
development. It is not a single, long-distance trail for unimpeded
travel.
Its core directive: facilitate a continuous land-and water-based
recreation system that serves as a connectivity and unification tool
for local governments and organizations wishing to create recreation,
heritage, environmental, educational, and economic development projects
that maximize the quality of life for Pennsylvania residents.
In 1999 the Mainline Canal Greenway™ was designated Pennsylvania's
Millennium Legacy Trail. Today, this designation helps secure federal
funding to implement projects along the corridor.
National Park Service designation of the Juniata River Water Trail
as a Chesapeake
Bay Gateway has enhanced the implementation of the Greenway by
connecting it to other Gateways and recreational systems, fulfilling
a need for interpretation and educational opportunities and providing
a needed tourism boost. Excursions on the Juniata River, GPS technology,
data collection and information gathering, and collective input from
public meetings and an advisory committee produced a map and guide
for the Upper and Lower Sections of the water trail. The maps are
available by request from the Allegheny Ridge Corporation (ARCorp)
and a variety of distribution locations between Hollidaysburg and
Lewistown, including local chambers of commerce, visitors' bureaus,
outfitters, and parks and recreation authorities.
The Greenway is divided into cluster
areas that offer smaller, more workable boundaries for future planning
and implementation. Within these clusters are contained smaller planning
units called hubs. ARCorp has successfully
used the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource's
Hubs and Spokes Model to work with partners to develop canal towns.
This success has been recognized by American Trials National Trails
Symposium.
The Greenway will not only connect communities, but within those
communities connections will be made as the traveler seeking recreation
opportunities utilizes the local outfitter, visits a heritage site,
and patronizes local eateries and lodging facilities.
Implementing the vision of an interconnected system of paths, trails,
scenic roadways, and corridors is an ambitious undertaking. An unprecedented
level of cooperation among state, county, and local governments, business
and civic leaders, private sector organizations, and community residents
is necessary. A dedicated and visionary leadership structure empowers
the reality of the Greenway.
Millennium Legacy Trail, not
a continuous land trail
Although such a trial might very well connect Pittsburgh and Harrisburg
in the future, physical connectivity is stated in terms of a system
of local trails (such as rail trials), water trails, and roadways.
Pennsylvania's Millennium Legacy Trail is a network of locally managed
and controlled community improvement projects of various types located
along the historic Pennsylvania Main Line Canal between Pittsburgh
and Harrisburg. It is infrastructure that will facilitate new recreational
opportunities, improve quality of life, and encourage new economic
growth. It is a way to maximize the potential for pre-existing and
planned attractions by linking them into an entity that encourages
site-to-site flow. It is a forum to focus on the importance of the
Commonwealth's natural resources. It is a tool to conserve important
wildlife habitat areas and undeveloped scenic areas. It is a strong
link with watershed-based planning initiatives. It is the framework
for physically, conceptually, and economically reconnecting the communities
once served by the Main Line Canal.
The beginning
A committee of local trail groups wanted to link their various projects
into a regional network. ARCorp and PA DCNR had been working on the
Main Line/Path of the Flood Trail. A grassroots alliance of 18 municipalities
in support of the trail formed the Allegheny Ridge Heritage Coalition.
Allan Chace of DCNR was the principle idea-man behind the cooperation
that led to an extended trail effort.
ARCorp and the National Pork Service both had an interest in interpreting
the story of the Main Line Canal. The trail vision was growing in
scope, but a land trail from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg did not seem
feasible. ARCorp and DCNR were working with the Kiski-Conemaugh River
Basin Alliance and the Juniata Clean Water Partnership watershed organizations;
all were interested in blurring the lines amid recreation, historic
interpretation, conservation, habitat protection, and community involvement.
The Millennium Trial opportunity presented itself and a last-minute
decision was made to apply. ARCorp successfully submitted the application
for the Millennium Legacy Trail designation and is the organization
leading its development.
The White House Millennium Council
In 1999 The White House Millennium Council was created to organize
a number of national Millennium projects. A paraphrased definition
follows.
Millennium projects are designed to be a grassroots effort that
will draw upon the creativity, ideas, and leadership present in
communities to encourage citizen involvement and leash the full
creative potential of the American People. Millennium Trails will
recognize, promote, and support trails as a means to preserve open
spaces, interpret history and culture, and enhance recreation and
tourism.
There are three levels of Millennium Trails:
-
16 National Millennium Trails
-
52 Millennium Legacy Trails (state level)
-
2000 Community Millennium Trails
More information about the Millennium Trails Project can be found at
www.millenniumtrails.org.
One trail in each state was selected to receive 'Millennium Legacy Trail
Designation'. The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway™
is representative of the diversity of trails. It includes trails that
serve a wide range of trail users and communities and trails in various
levels of completion. It clearly demonstrates an ability to complete
trails in the early phases of planning. Honoring the past and imagines
the future, it captures the essence and spirit of the state and reflects
the heritage and culture of the area it traverses. It provides tangible
future benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth and brings together
individuals, groups and organizations, both public and private, in collaborative
support of the trail. For those reasons, The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg
Mainline Canal Greenway™ was designated Pennsylvania's Legacy Trail.
How it works: Where we are
today
The Greenway, or Mainline Canal Corridor™, is designed to maximize
the promotional, economic, and environmental viability of its rich
natural and community resources by highlighting the unifying historical
context of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal.
The Greenway is organized into five sub-organizations or "clusters",
each representing a specific portion of the corridor. The clusters
from west to east are Pittsburgh, Kiski-Conemaugh, Allegheny Ridge,
Juniata, and Harrisburg. Project development within each cluster is
led by a 'Locktender'.
The Greenway public process was driven by the clusters, initially
functioning as ad-hoc committees of interested organizations and individuals
and led by a designated Locktender. Over time this structure will
evolve, potentially formalize, and provide continuing grassroots presence
and local promotional capabilities for the Greenway.
Comprehensive partner systems within each cluster are developed by
the Locktenders. The method -develop a core team of partners who can
facilitate the efforts of each cluster, and the overall effort.
In becoming partners of the Greenway network, local project managers
can expect increased visibility for their initiatives, and can potentially
increase their chances of finding necessary funds. Greenway projects
are roughly categorized into the following.
-
trails (land, water, and thematic)
-
river access areas
-
historic preservation and interpretation
-
downtown revitalization initiatives
-
downtown promotion strategies
-
protection of natural resources
-
recreational park improvements
Local business, local governments, the media, sports, the arts and
entertainment make up a second layer of partners. This layer contributes
with financing and greenway content. A significant aspect of the Greenway
is its conceptual layer. Thematic trails add immense vitality and
bring all interests of the community together. Greenway content includes
features of the thematic layer as well as amenities of the physical
layer. As such, this second layer of partners is poised to realize
tremendous promotional benefit for its endeavors.
©
2005 Allegheny Ridge Corporation