Multi-use recreation -- i.e., Vacation Fun! -- in Northeast Ohio needs your involvement

 

 


(Note: Do you live or vacation in Ohio, or know folks that do? Do you know folks from Ohio that come to your part of the world and spend their hunting, fishing and other tourism/vacation dollars? As Bill says below, "With over 20,000 acres available... There is plenty of room for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and off-road riding." No matter where you go to enjoy off-road riding/vacationing -- whether by all-terrain vehicle / ATV, snowmobile, mountain biking, horseback riding, etc. -- it is of paramount importance to 'stick together' and be active in helping others so they will help you. This is easy and doesn't take much time -- and look what you've got to gain! I've penned a 52-word sample letter and provided you with email addresses for ten northeast Ohio papers. Editors must verify by phone that letters were written -- be sure your efforts count! Be sure to include your full name, address, city & state, complete phone number and email address, and send one at a time to each paper. Time sensitive: before elections in November, but the sooner the better, especially before September 1st.)

 

 


July 11, 2006

 

 


By Bill Kaeppner kaeppner@ohiohills.com

 

Ohio Multi-Use Trails Association (OMTA) http://www.ohiotrails.org


 

Logan, Ohio - I have been asked what folks can do to get the Ravenna Arsenal open for riding in northeast Ohio.

 

This is what you need to do. Please understand that unless you and all your friends do this, there is nothing anyone else can do for you. The ball is in your court. If you want riding in northeast Ohio, you MUST contact your representatives.

 

 

 

Find your representatives in Ohio and do the following:

 

The main things to emphasize are:

 

1. There are currently NO public off-road riding areas in Northeast Ohio.

 

2. This could be a regional destination riding area like Hatfield-McCoy or Redbird, and provide much-needed travel and tourism $$ to a depressed area.

 

3. With over 20,000 acres available, Ravenna could be and should be a multi-use recreational facility. There is plenty of room for hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and off-road riding. The facility should not be limited in use.

 

Legislators are important contacts, but folks in the Portage County area should also seek support from their local County Commissioners. Julie Kay Smithson of http://www.PropertyRightsResearch.org has provided the information below to help you get involved.

 

The more support that can be built locally, the better.

 

There you have it: A concise, practical and effective way to get a riding area in Northeast Ohio.

 

Your action, or inaction, will determine what happens next.

 

 

Here are the email addresses of the three County Commissioners:

 

 

Chuck Keiper ckeiper@portageco.com; Chris [Christopher] Smeiles csmeiles@portageco.com; Maureen T. Frederick mfrederick@portageco.com Source: http://www.co.portage.oh.us/commissioners.htm (there are phone numbers and address here)

 

 

More contacts to make:

 

 

Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce: Pat Artz, Executive Director director@ravennachamber.com, 330-296-3886, Fax: 330-296-6986 http://www.ravennachamber.com

 

Portage County Chambers of Commerce information (comprehensive): http://www.co.portage.oh.us/chambers.htm (Aurora, Brimfield, Deerfield, Garrettsville/Hiram area, Kent area, Mantua-Shalersville, Ravenna, Rootstown, and Streetsboro)

 

Aurora Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Jennifer Natale, Executive Director dir1auroracoc@aol.com 800-648-6342 or 330-562-3373 Fax: 330-562-2002

 

Streetsboro Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) Lisa Wild , Office Manager visitstreetsboro@sbcglobal.net 888-558-5580 or 330-422-1770 Fax: 330-422-1780

 

Central Portage County Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) Dan Smith, Executive Director dsmith@kentbiz.com 877-283-8757 or 330-475-0090 Fax: 330-673-9860

 

 

Sy Thompson, Director, Portage County Office of Economic Development, Ravenna, Ohio pcoed@neo.rr.com 330-297-3470 Fax: 330-297-3472

 

Source: http://www.neotec.org/partnersusa.htm (lots more Northeast Ohio information here) NEOTEC - Northeast Ohio Trade and Economic Consortium

 

 

Letters to the Editor email addresses:

 

 

Akron Beacon Journal: vop@thebeaconjournal.com

 

Canton Repository: letters@cantonrep.com

 

Cleveland Plain Dealer: letters@plaind.com

 

Mansfield News Journal aconchel@nncogannett.com

 

Mount Vernon News: csplain@mountvernonnews.com

 

New Philadelphia Times-Reporter webmaster@timesreporter.com

 

Ravenna Record-Courier editor@recordpub.com

 

Wadsworth Sun Banner kburns@sunnews.com

 

Warren Tribune-Chronicle letters@tribune-chronicle.com

 

Willoughby News-Herald editor@news-herald.com

 

 

 

Sample Letter to the Editor (and it's only 50 words!):

 

 

 

Dear Editor:

 

My family and I enjoy vacationing in northeast Ohio. We would also like to bring our off-road vehicles and enjoy a place to ride in this beautiful area. A public off-road riding area would bring us to your part of Ohio more often and increase tourism dollars spent in your area.