Montour Trail-Letter

Volume 13, Issue 1

January/February, 2002

There was plenty to talk about as Montour Trail Council President Peter Kohnke presented his "State of the Trail" address at the MTC's annual meeting on November 11.

In reviewing the year's activity, Kohnke noted several significant milestones, including:

• The opening of a new trail section in Cecil Township
• The new trail construction between Boggs and Quicksilver, which is creating an uninterrupted 18-mile section of completed trail from Coraopolis to McDonald
• The beginning of construction activity between Clairton and Large
• Two state grants that will permit construction of the Brush Run section between Bethel Park and the Arrowhead Trail
• Final approval of an agreement with the Public Utility Commission that will preserve most of the MTC's bridges in Washington County
• Purchase (in conjunction with the Allegheny Land Trust) of a seven-mile corridor, protecting the trail against adverse impacts from neighboring development
• The most successful IKEA/Montour Trail race so far, raising about $10,000 for the trail
• A 5 percent increase in MTC memberships.

As usual, the dinner also featured a few humorous awards to key volunteers. Frank Ludwin of Cecil received the "Rookie of the Year" award for his superb work in operating heavy equipment and in preparing the trail for the Burgh's Run in April. Dennis Pfeiffer was named the MTC's "utility man" for doing excellent work in his quiet, unassuming way on a great number of tasks.

Two departing board members were recognized: Judy Thompson, who has served for nearly five years as treasurer, and Debby Hoerster, editor of this newsletter for the last five years. Three other longtime MTC stalwarts also completed their terms on the board in 2001: Bob Boyce, Paul McKeown, and Bill Morphy.

The 80 members in attendance enjoyed a colorful presentation by Bob McKinley, the mastermind behind construction of the Yough Trail from McKeesport to Ohiopyle State Park. McKinley shared some of his ingenious ways of making available resources go farther -- such as using rubble from a demolished public housing project and sediment from McKeesport's water treatment plant as fill material for the trail.