Del City now linked with canal trail

The 4-tenths-of-a-mile journey between Delaware City and the Michael Castle Trail along the C&D Canal took $2.4 million and years to accomplish, but state and local officials hope it will bolster outdoor recreation and make the Delaware River community an ecotourism hub.

Later this summer, when the entire 15.2 mile continuous canal trail is complete, it will link Delaware and Chesapeake cities. The Maryland town, along the canal that links the Delaware and Chesapeake bays, is already a significant tourism destination.

"Connecting Delaware City to the Castle Trail will be a huge boon for the city by providing cyclists heading east easy access to downtown and its great amenities," said House Majority Leader Valerie J. Longhurst, D-Bear. Longhurst said she is already an avid trail user.

"I get to see snapping turtles. I get to see deer . . . vultures" and once, she said, "there comes Gov. Markell and Carla" cycling on the trail.

The linking Branch Canal Trail has been years in the making and includes a few unexpected attractions besides the restored wetland area along the multi-use path. A historic African-American cemetery – the burial site of five Delaware City residents who served the Union during the Civil War – has been restored and will be completed later this summer. A historic marker also tells visitors about Polktown, the African American community just outside Delaware City.

"We expect the stories of those buried in the cemetery, established in 1835, and of the nearby African American community. . . . will provide rich experiences for visitors to Delaware City," said Willis Phelps, president of the African Union Church Cemetery. Foundation grants and contributions from individuals and businesses in the community helped with the restoration project. The cemetery has already been fenced and local historians are working on detailed histories of the men and women who are buried there.

STORY: Paddle into the primeval Trap Pond State Park

STORY: Spring cleanup for park trails

Dozens of people came out Wednesday to ride the trail after its official opening. Among them was Perry Benson, of Philadelphia.

He comes to the Michael Castle trail to ride and avoid the more heavily-used bike and pedestrian trails in his area, he said.

And, he said, "it's flat. It's nice because you can develop a real cadence" as you ride.

Benson is on the board of the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia. Like Delaware, that area is also expanding its trail network.

Jennifer Haugh lives in Delaware City and she said the connector trail will give her and other city residents direct access to the Castle Trail.

She used to drive to Gunning Bedford school to access the canal-edge trail.

"It's family friendly," she said. "You feel safe especially with no road traffic."

Delaware City already had a pathway along the old Branch Canal towpath, but it ended just beyond the Delaware City Marina.

One reason the new connector trail took so long to build was that is was in a flood-prone area along the Branch Canal and loads of dirt had to be brought in and allowed to settle before the path could be completed, said Kevin Donnelly, district coordinator for the New Castle Conservation District, which oversaw the work.

Delaware City Mayor Stan Green joked that he kept asking "Is it done yet?" every time he saw Donnelly.

Now that this connector is complete, Green said, two more connector trails are in the works: one to connect Delaware City from the northeast at Dragon Run and another at the southeast corner.

"We know and understand the importance of trails. . . to ecotourism," he said.

Gov. Jack Markell, an avid cyclist, said this is another link in the state's trail network. By 2018, he said, he hopes to see a trail from the Wilmington waterfront to Old New Castle.

From there, he said, cyclists can take Del. 9 south to Delaware City and jump on the Branch Canal Trail where they will connect with the Castle trail.

"It is amazing," he said.

Markell said he has pushed for these trails because it promotes health and fitness and gets children outside and away from television and computer screens. In addition, he said, it is also an attraction for people looking to move to the state.

"There are people who have chosen to live and work here because of these trails," he said.

This trail links Delaware City's waterfront promenade and towpath walkway and winds through a wetland that runs parallel with the Branch Canal before connecting with the Castle Trail along the C&D Canal.

Reach Molly Murray at (302) 463-3334 or mmurray@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @MollyMurraytnj.