NORTH RIDGEVILLE – Despite the efforts of a pair of local Girl Scouts to raise $10,000 to help pay for paved running and exercise trails, the city’s application for grant money for the project was not approved, according to a state official.

“I told the city the project was not awarded because it wasn’t worthy,” Ohio Department of Natural Resources Grant Manager D’Juan Hammonds said Friday. “This was a very competitive applicant pool.”

The state announced the awarding of $1.1 million Friday in federal transportation funds administered by the state for the 2010 Recreational Trails Program Non-Motorized Grants, said Hammonds. ODNR was able to fund only 13 non-motorized trail projects statewide.

“This is not a done deal,” Sue Tipple said Friday. “The girls are deeply disappointed, but we figured we would be 50-50 (odds of getting the grant).

Tipple is the mother of Caitlyn Tipple, a 16-year-old high school junior who worked with friend and fellow Scout Morgan Rogers, 17, who graduated from North Ridgeville High School this year.

“Some tried to talk them out of it, but they are so passionate about their running trail that they’re not about to give up,” Sue Tipple said. “They are coming back next year to get this done. They want a safe place for everyone to walk, even people with walkers and wheelchairs.”

The girls raised the $10,000 toward the proposed 2-mile trail at South Central Park through rummage and garage sales at local schools, a 5K race, a snowman-building contest last winter, and a breakfast with Santa at Lear-North Elementary School that served nearly 400 people and netted $2,063.

The fundraising and other work the pair did to benefit the trail effort earned them a Girl Scout Gold Award, the equivalent of an Eagle Scout designation for Boy Scouts. The girls are members of North Ridgeville Troop 50525.

“That’s not a lot of money. This project was estimated to cost close to $200,000.” Mayor David Gillock said. “But it’s a good thing and we’ll keep after it. We’ll apply again next year.”

The new grant application will be overseen by newly appointed Parks and Rec Director Kevin Fougerousse, who begins working for the city Sept. 1.

The city’s grant application sought funding for 80 percent of the cost, with the city picking up the remaining 20 percent.

“I felt bad for them,” Hammonds said. “These young ladies worked really hard. I told the city to keep working (on its application) and hopefully that will put their park in a better competitive situation.”

Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.

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