Details
 

March 28, 2020
8:00AM - 4:30PM

*POSTPONED* Ohio Trail Connections Summit

Knox County Memorial Building, 112 E High St, Mount Vernon, OH 43050

POSTPONED - Please stay tuned for a new date.

About Ohio Trail Connections

The Ohio Trail Connections Summit, hosted by the Ohio to Erie Trail with the sponsorship of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and community partners, connects the twenty-five trail organizations spanning the length of the trail for a day of education and networking, The day focuses on fueling economic growth and tourism through connectivity of trails, communities, and people. The summit offers numerous opportunities to hear best practices and success stories from peers on the Ohio to Erie Trail. The summit agenda and environment encourages networking, dialogue, and idea-sharing. 

What you will learn

The power of Trail Towns. Rail-trails fuel economic growth and increased tourism of villages, towns, and cities. Learn how the nationally recognized trail Town Program® is a blueprint for welcoming trail visitors. Take home a collection of best practices that can jumpstart the same in your community.

Connectivity is crucial. Learn how connecting trails, communities, and people grow the use of and impact of local trails in communities both large and small. Learn how trails can utilize both traditional and web-based methods to connect with volunteers, businesses, trail users, and visitors.

Healthy trails equal healthy communities. Learn how trails keep volunteers happy and engaged, how to engage and grow a social media presence, and how to work with other trails and communities to fuel economic growth and increase tourism at a regional level.

Who should attend?

Elected officials, visitor bureau leaders, and community members who want to leverage trails for economic growth and increased recreational tourism. 

Business Owners and Leaders who want to be more appealing to trail visitors and learn steps that can be taken to connect to potential customers.

Trail managers, park district leaders, and trail friends’ groups who manage trails that benefit the health, well-being, and economic stability of people and communities along the trails. 

Trail advocates who value diverse recreational and social activities that improve the wellness of people and communities along the trail.

Active transportation advocates who envision trail networks spanning geographic boundaries offering alternative transportation for recreation, work, school, and everyday transportation needs.

About the location

Mount Vernon voted one of Ohio’s best hometowns by Ohio Magazine, is located 40 miles northeast of Columbus. The city is the county seat of Knox County. The Ohio to Erie Trail’s Kokosing Gap Trail and Heart of Ohio Trail meet at the southern end of Downtown Mount Vernon. 

A downtown renaissance has made Main Street a destination for trail visitors. New public spaces, dining, specialty shops, and a brewery line the street. Ariel-Foundation Park, a green space along the trail, invites visitors to explore the architectural remnants of a repurposed glass factory’s industrial past. All these experiences are an easy walk from our meeting space.

About the meeting space

The Knox County Memorial Building is a Georgian revival building located in Downtown Mount Vernon, one block east of the Public Square. The building was erected in 1926 following World War 1 as a memorial to veterans of past and future wars. The Knox County Memorial Building captures the history and presence of colonial architecture prevalent in Downtown Mount Vernon.

In 2014, the building was renovated and upgraded to modern meeting standards and amenities while maintaining an atmosphere of traditional architecture and function. Our summit meeting spaces occupy all three floors that include the Memorial Ballroom, Veterans Hall, and the lower-level dining room.

Agenda Preview

9 am-4:30 pm (Summit registration/check in opens at 8 am)

The summit gives attendees the flexibility to build a day of education and networking that meets their needs and interests.  

Joint Sessions

Trail Towns

Connections

Trail Talk

Speaker Information

Keynote Speaker
The Power of Trail Towns, Amy Camp - Owner and Trail & Tourism Consultant, Cycle Forward
Ms. Camp helped to launch the nationally-recognized Trail Town Program® on the Great Allegheny Passage. She managed that program leading economic impact studies, the program’s marketing efforts, and on-the-ground improvement projects before starting her own consulting practice. She shares how trail communities around the U.S. benefit from connecting to their trails and how Ohio rail-trails and trail networks might see similar results.

Speakers on Trail Connections
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's: Brian Housh and Suzanne Matyas
- Ohio to Erie Trail, Board of Directors: Mike Groeber, Tom Bilcze and Jody Dzuranin
- Trail related Businesses: Brian Peters of the Ohio Trail Shuttle

Speakers on Trail Development and Programming
- Dan Foley of the Great Miami Riverway
- D’Juan Hammonds of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Katie Hux of the Knox County Park District

Speakers from Trail Friends Groups
- Tom Alexander with the Holmes County Rails to Trails Coalition
- Randy Cronk with the Kokosing Gap Trail
- Wayne Roberts with the Friends of Madison County Parks & Trails
- Dan Tiffany with the Heart of Ohio Trail Friends

Knox County Memorial Building
112 E High St, Mount Vernon, OH 43050
 

Learn More & Register Here

More Info

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Add to Calendar aCLuDhaqizCaPxAftmqF167204 03/28/2020 08:00 AM 03/28/2020 04:30 PM false *POSTPONED* Ohio Trail Connections Summit POSTPONED - Please stay tuned for a new date. About Ohio Trail Connections The Ohio Trail Connections Summit, hosted by the Ohio to Erie Trail with the sponsorship of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and community partners, connects the twenty-five trail organizations spanning the length of the trail for a day of education and networking, The day focuses on fueling economic growth and tourism through connectivity of trails, communities, and people. The summit offers numerous opportunities to hear best practices and success stories from peers on the Ohio to Erie Trail. The summit agenda and environment encourages networking, dialogue, and idea-sharing.  What you will learn The power of Trail Towns. Rail-trails fuel economic growth and increased tourism of villages, towns, and cities. Learn how the nationally recognized trail Town Program® is a blueprint for welcoming trail visitors. Take home a collection of best practices that can jumpstart the same in your community. Connectivity is crucial. Learn how connecting trails, communities, and people grow the use of and impact of local trails in communities both large and small. Learn how trails can utilize both traditional and web-based methods to connect with volunteers, businesses, trail users, and visitors. Healthy trails equal healthy communities. Learn how trails keep volunteers happy and engaged, how to engage and grow a social media presence, and how to work with other trails and communities to fuel economic growth and increase tourism at a regional level. Who should attend? Elected officials, visitor bureau leaders, and community members who want to leverage trails for economic growth and increased recreational tourism.  Business Owners and Leaders who want to be more appealing to trail visitors and learn steps that can be taken to connect to potential customers. Trail managers, park district leaders, and trail friends’ groups who manage trails that benefit the health, well-being, and economic stability of people and communities along the trails.  Trail advocates who value diverse recreational and social activities that improve the wellness of people and communities along the trail. Active transportation advocates who envision trail networks spanning geographic boundaries offering alternative transportation for recreation, work, school, and everyday transportation needs. About the location Mount Vernon voted one of Ohio’s best hometowns by Ohio Magazine, is located 40 miles northeast of Columbus. The city is the county seat of Knox County. The Ohio to Erie Trail’s Kokosing Gap Trail and Heart of Ohio Trail meet at the southern end of Downtown Mount Vernon.  A downtown renaissance has made Main Street a destination for trail visitors. New public spaces, dining, specialty shops, and a brewery line the street. Ariel-Foundation Park, a green space along the trail, invites visitors to explore the architectural remnants of a repurposed glass factory’s industrial past. All these experiences are an easy walk from our meeting space. About the meeting space The Knox County Memorial Building is a Georgian revival building located in Downtown Mount Vernon, one block east of the Public Square. The building was erected in 1926 following World War 1 as a memorial to veterans of past and future wars. The Knox County Memorial Building captures the history and presence of colonial architecture prevalent in Downtown Mount Vernon. In 2014, the building was renovated and upgraded to modern meeting standards and amenities while maintaining an atmosphere of traditional architecture and function. Our summit meeting spaces occupy all three floors that include the Memorial Ballroom, Veterans Hall, and the lower-level dining room. Agenda Preview 9 am-4:30 pm (Summit registration/check in opens at 8 am) The summit gives attendees the flexibility to build a day of education and networking that meets their needs and interests.   Joint Sessions State of the Ohio to Erie Trail Morning Keynote: The Power of Trail Towns  Afternoon Keynote: Destination Marketing of the Great Miami Riverway  enLightning Talks: Ohio Trail Stories  All-day Trail Networking Lounge Lunch table talks Trail Towns Envisioning Trail Towns in Ohio Getting Down to {Trail} Business Connections Trail Connectivity: Spines and Networks Your Trail’s Story on Social Media Trail Talk Happy Trails, Happy Volunteers Trail Funding: Where do the $$’s come from? Speaker Information Keynote SpeakerThe Power of Trail Towns, Amy Camp - Owner and Trail & Tourism Consultant, Cycle ForwardMs. Camp helped to launch the nationally-recognized Trail Town Program® on the Great Allegheny Passage. She managed that program leading economic impact studies, the program’s marketing efforts, and on-the-ground improvement projects before starting her own consulting practice. She shares how trail communities around the U.S. benefit from connecting to their trails and how Ohio rail-trails and trail networks might see similar results. Speakers on Trail Connections- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's: Brian Housh and Suzanne Matyas- Ohio to Erie Trail, Board of Directors: Mike Groeber, Tom Bilcze and Jody Dzuranin- Trail related Businesses: Brian Peters of the Ohio Trail ShuttleSpeakers on Trail Development and Programming- Dan Foley of the Great Miami Riverway- D’Juan Hammonds of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources- Katie Hux of the Knox County Park DistrictSpeakers from Trail Friends Groups- Tom Alexander with the Holmes County Rails to Trails Coalition- Randy Cronk with the Kokosing Gap Trail- Wayne Roberts with the Friends of Madison County Parks & Trails- Dan Tiffany with the Heart of Ohio Trail Friends Location Knox County Memorial Building Address 112 E High St, Mount Vernon, OH 43050 Starts on   Learn More & Register Here Knox County Memorial Building, 112 E High St, Mount Vernon, OH 43050