Members of the administration of the City of Dover, the City of New Philadelphia and Tuscarawas County been meeting over the last three years and studying various potential routes for the eventual Towpath Trail from its current terminus near Zoar to Dover and New Philadelphia.  Early in 2010 it was decided that the primary focus needs to be linking the cities of Dover and New Philadelphia and to that end, meetings and discussion have led to agreement on the best and most feasible route.  While details need to be finalized and agreements reached with a handful of property owners, the basis for the trail linking the two cities is now in place.  The key efforts once details are finalized will focus on developing the trail, which will ultimately link up with the Ohio-Erie Towpath Trail. 

     During the year, the City of Dover acquired additional property along the North side of the river that is contiguous to other city-owned property that will provide additional riverfront property adjacent to the former Bernhardt Brewery property that was donated to the City by the Marino family, which will eventually serve as an access point for this key trail link between Dover and New Philadelphia.  It has been through the HCDA’s  efforts involving the clearing of the area between the Wooster Avenue and Tuscarawas Street bridges and the construction of the replica of the canal tollbooth on Front Street  that provided the initial impetus for these efforts and focused attention on  the overlooked resource that consists of Dover’s waterfront. 

     As of this writing the City of Dover has acquired a total of more than $350,000 in grant funding for aesthetic improvements to the area, including the new Tuscarawas Avenue bridge.  The HCDA strives to continue its efforts in improving this vital resource and facilitating the development of the riverfront area in Dover into an attractive recreational area, creating and asset for residents and visitors alike.