PARKERSBURG - Work on Johnson T. Janes Park is continuing with the first part of a bridge across Worthington Creek already in place.
Crews cleaned areas in the 100-acre park and developed trails over the weekend, working for months to clear debris and trash.
The first part of a bridge has been constructed, though more work is needed before it is open to the public, Ann Conageski, development director for Parkersburg, said. The 80-foot concrete span will allow greater access to the park and link up with planned walking trails, she said.
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Workers recently installed a portion of a cement bridge over Worthington Creek in Johnson T. Janes Park. Work on the park continues and officials say they hope to have some trails and the bridge open to the public by this spring.
Schneider Construction installed concrete box beams that were made and delivered by Carr Concrete, Conageski said.
"They still need the approaches done and railings put up so it is safe for people to walk," she said. "It would be accessible for the general public to use probably this spring."
Plans for the park call for trails for walking and hiking, biking and handicapped access. Conageski said the initial trails will be "primative," but officials will look at upgrading some of those areas to boardwalks after the park is opened.
The park is located several blocks away from Parkersburg City Park and has an entrance on 27th Street.
Nothing links the parking lot to the larger park except for a rough access road, Conageski said. Paths will be created from the parking lot to the bridge, Conageski said.
Work on the park has been a long time coming and the efforts of many local residents, as well as funding from a variety of sources such as the Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund and the McDonough Foundation have helped develop the park, Mayor Bob Newell said.
Councilwoman-elect Kim Coram has been working to clean it up and also cutting bike trails for the park, Newell said.
"As we continue on we are going to be looking at other things to make the park more inviting to the public as well," he said.
