'Destination Peace Valley' Gets $200K Grant

The effort to connect the bike and hike paths around Doylestown into one contiguous system is $200,000 closer to becoming reality.

Doylestown Township supervisors on Tuesday night agreed to accept a $200,000 grant from the state for the Destination Peace Valley project. The grant comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

But one resident wanted to know the longterm financial implications of the project.

"How much is it going to cost us to maintain each year?" asked Lee Schwartz, who frequently attends supervisors' meetings.

"Grants are good, but they take on a future liability," Schwartz added.

Dick John, who heads up the township's operations department, said maintenance of the bike path is not likely to cost township taxpayers much. 

"For awhile, it’s going to be minor," said John, adding that the path likely wouldn't need any work "until the blacktop starts to break down."

Supervisors chairman Barb Lyons said the residents in all the municipalities will benefit from the trail network.

"That’s part of the local government service," Lyons said.

In the works for a few years, Destination Peace Valley ultimately would link the 18 or so miles of paved paths around the greater Doylestown area together, and to one of the region's most popular recreation destinations, Peace Valley Park.

The cooperative project brings together Doylestown Borough and Doylestown Township, New Britain Borough and New Britain Township and Chalfont.

To review the project's study, click on the pdf file attached to this article.

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