WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — The Fayette County Park District held its monthly trails meeting on Thursday, Aug. 15.

The prior minutes and financial reports were approved.

Chairperson Chelsie Baker said that the Western Fayette Bike Trail project might be completed ahead of schedule, pursuant to information received from county engineer Jason Little. The project was slated for 2026, but will most likely be finished in 2025. The district needs to apply for a grant to make sure funding is in place and available upon this completion.

This trail project is in the Village of Octa in the Rattlesnake Creek area.

Regarding the trails in the city, the crosswalks have been painted by the city service department where appropriate and are subject to pedestrian crossings as in all other crossing areas with regard to traffic yielding.

It was reported that the fencing around the old tennis courts at the Champion’s Grill at The Greens Golf Course on Highland Avenue has been removed and the area is now used for overflow parking. There will possibly be additional paving and an access grading on the slope for vehicles to enter this lot.

The park district owns a strip of land at the end of their trail that comes out on Water Street between North and South Railroad streets. There is a shelter house on that property. The walking trail will eventually be extended across that property in the future.

However, at this time there have been complaints about cars being parked on this park district land without permission. No parking signs are on the property in full view, according to Baker. Baker said that no one has been given permission to park cars, tagged or salvage, on that property. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has been contacted and will be patrolling that area to observe cars parked illegally on that land. A warning will be issued first, then cars will be towed at the owner’s expense in the future.