McDONALD — A popular walking trail at Woodland Park may see some improvements this year as village officials hope to secure $140,000 in funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Recreational Trails Program to make needed restoration and upgrades.

Mayor Ray Lewis said the goal is to redo the trail that travels throughout the park and two aging stairways and other needed improvements.

Some parts of the trail are visible while others have fallen apart or are overgrown with grass and plants. Lewis said the steps behind the large park pavilion are in poor condition and need updating.

The trail and stairways are from the 1920s, he said.

Years ago, residents used the trails and stairs to get to the mills where they worked, Lewis said.

“The grant is for recreational trail improvements, which includes the trail and stairs. It is a 100% funded grant. There is no local match and no cost to the residents,” he said.

Lewis said the trail has long been a feature of the park and the course is one of the most frequently used in the Mahoning Valley for cross-country meets.

Bicyclists, walkers, people who walk dogs and local students also use the trail.

“This park gets a lot of use. The trail leads to many different sections of the park,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the Army Corps of Engineers checked the project and gave the green light to move forward with the small walkways in the park.

As part of the proposal, the village plans to:

• Restore and improve the existing trail for enhanced accessibility and safety.

• Construct new staircases leading to the trail from the hill.

• Preserve the natural beauty of Woodland Park while ensuring long-term sustainability.

Nearby is the well-known Billy Goat Hill, which many runners and cross-country participants travel on. The hill’s steep incline is often featured in the home stretch of a race, serving as an added challenge for runners, officials have said.

Erosion concerns on Billy Goat Hill are leading to prevention efforts to ensure runners and hikers are safe.

Lewis said that what will be done to Billy Goat Hill is to put seed or erosion-prevention materials to maintain the integrity of the hill.

“This is a good project. This is the first step in what we hope will be an extensive process of many improvements within our park,” Lewis said.

“If we can get those trails done the next step would be to look at disc golf course,” he said.

Lewis said the first step will be the trailway and then a discussion by council on a storybook walk where children can read a book along the trail with different panels, and also an exercise area for older youth and adults.

Lewis said that if successful, securing the money for the project will begin in the summer, but the village will look at other alternatives if it can’t secure the funds.

Last month council passed by emergency motion an ordinance to seek the funds for the project from ODNR.

Village Council President Sean Schmidt said council is very excited and hopeful about securing the funds for the project.

“There are always a lot of people in the parks. There are walkers, joggers, runners and people walking their dogs,” he said.

Schmidt said he expects that trail improvements would attract even more people to the park.

“The park has great scenery and wooded areas,” Schmidt said.

He said many local people travel to Mill Creek Park for the trails there. They would also be able to use the trails in Woodland Park once they are restored.

Lewis and Schmidt said some cross-country events have brought more than 3,000 people to Woodland Park, so revitalizing the trails would benefit the public and the village.

Lewis said public comments were sought in March from residents to help shape the final design and ensure that the improvements meet the needs of the community.

He also said officials are trying to focus on improvements that don’t affect the budget, which is shrinking.