Walk for 13 miles

It's more good news that the city received easements from a local property owner to continue building the Sandusky Bay Pathway. The idea for a pathway from Huron all the way through Sandusky — east to west — has been around since for as long as many people can remember. The Sandusky Bay Pathway was recently expanded from AMVETS Post 17 on Putnam Street to the Washington Street Pier and runs through many downtown areas. The expansion was enhanced when the new Shoreline Drive reopened earlier this summer. We're glad to see it continue to develop. This week, it was announced that Jeff and Kimberly Hartnett had donated their easements at "a major property that is needed for the project." Michelle Johnson, the director of Cleveland-based Environmental Design Group, a firm contracted by Sandusky city commissioners, said this is a key acquisition. The easements the Hartnetts donated are near the property where the former Bayshore Beverage was located. Johnson said she hopes more easements and property acquisitions for the project will come soon. The pathway's full development depends upon property owners, such as the Hartnetts, either donating or selling their land, Johnson said. By 2029, the city ideally wants to create an uninterrupted 13-mile-long waterfront route, connecting Sandusky's west side to its east end, linking parks, piers, restaurants, hotels, businesses, nature spaces and more. The multimodal trail would lead into what's called The Landing, a proposed nature space behind Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center. Anybody who's been downtown to visit the new Jackson Street Pier or the shoreline across the district knows already how successful this urban planning has been, and we fully support the continued development of the Sandusky Bay Pathway.