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Volume 54, No. 9
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
West Geauga Defends Chicken Flying Title By Brian Doering brian@karlovecmedia.com Right out of the coop — er, mailbox, feathers were flying once again as the clucks of competitors filled the air during the annual Chicken Flying Contest Sept. 1 at the 200th Great Geauga County Fair. A convoy of yellow school buses made their annual trek to the Geauga County Fairgrounds in Burton with hundreds of six-graders arriving just in time for the returning battle between Kenston and West Geauga Schools. “Last year, West Geauga won,” said Kenston Superintendent Steven Sayers. “They currently hold the bragging rights and trophy, but it's a new year and on any given day, your See Contest • Page 4
Most Holy Trinity to Hold Open House Submitted By Rev. George Wendt The little white church at the crossroads of Mayfield and Chillicothe Roads is a mystery to many Chester Township residents. Standing in the midst of more modern structures in the area, it is easily recognized as a unique part of the community due to its pre-Civil War design. Most Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Parish has a long history in Geauga County. It was owned by several Protestant denominations before being purchased by the Catholic Church in the mid-1970s, according to Rev. George Wendt, the church’s new pastor. “As an introduction to the residents of Geauga County, (the church) will hold an open house on Sept. 25 at 9:30 a.m.,” he said, adding the church, at 8549 Mayfield Road, is easily the oldest building in Chester Township, having been constructed in 1852 and dedicated in September of 1853. “It was originally situated across Mayfield Road in the Town Square until it was moved to its current location in 1892,” Wendt said. See Open House • Page 6
BRIAN DOERING/KMG
West Geauga triumphs once again over Kenston in the Chicken Flying Contest at The Great Geauga County Fair on Sept. 1.
Upgrades Coming to Metzenbaum Park By Brian Doering brian@karlovecmedia.com The Geauga Park District is hard at work making improvements at Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Center Park in Chester Township, which includes upgrades to the outdated playground, shelter, trail and a replacement of the overlook. The park district acquired the 65-acre park in 1991 and made only small additions and minor upgrades to the facilities since its official opening in 1993. “We're pretty much on schedule,” said construction foreman Isaiah Shipmen. “Everything is going pretty smooth.” Work began in early July and included resurfacing and grading the gravel trail; installing water bars to redirect water off the trails; removing vegetation; and updating and power-washing both wooden bridges and the overlook structure. “Summit Trail has been probably one of our most difficult trails to walk,” said Grounds and Facilities Manager Joe Slepko. “The overlook is toward the very top of the peak of the trail, a deck space about (8 feet by 10 feet) and you can walk out a little bit to stand there and look out over the whole valley. We also put a bench up there for a place to sit.”
SUBMITTED BY SANDY WARD
Bessie Benner Metzenbaum Center Park in Chester Township will be seeing much deserved upgrades to one of the most challenging trails in the Geauga Park District along with a brand new playground.
Improvements included lengthening the trail itself from a half mile to 0.65 of a mile, crews were also working to minimize the grade, making it less steep in places and more accessible to hikers. “The main hill on the approach was very steep. We put switchbacks in the trail, giving the slope a little bit less grade so that you could travel easier up and down those slopes and also for drainage,” said Shipman. “It made it a lot more effective for draining water.”
Shipman said dealing with rock, large boulders and stones on the trail added some difficulties. “That trail was unique because as we went around the side of the slope, we just had to work through them and around them,” said Shipman. “It’s definitely good to build on top of the rocks, but definitely a little bit of a different approach to our normal clay trails that we have.” As for the new playground, construction is well underway for the See Park • Page 3