Supported economic development along the Delaware & Lehigh (D&L) Trail

• Developed a Trail Friendly  Business “Toolkit” to provide resources and best practices for businesses to attract recreation visitors

• Developed and presented a webinar about the economic and non-economic benefits  of the outdoor recreation economy and trails for local governments, chambers of commerce and economic development agencies

• Created and conducted a  webinar targeting existing businesses along the D&L Trail to educate and encourage them to adopt best practices of being a Trail Friendly business

• Facilitated a business forum for designated Trail Friendly Businesses to improve and enhance D&L’s Trail Friendly Business Program

• Provided support to D&L Trail Friendly Business Survey

 

The Delaware & Lehigh Heritage Area is the steward of the D&L trail, a 141-mile multimodal trail stretching from Bristol, PA to Mountain Top in Northeast PA. The trail traverses urban and rural landscapes with breathtaking views of the Delaware River and the Lehigh River. The Heritage Area’s Trail Friendly Business Program, started in 2019 has great potential but needed some assistance to follow up on its membership and membership survey. Eastwick worked in tandem with the staff to collect data, interview Trail Friendly Business and analyze data to understand the needs of business owners along the trail. Eastwick conducted two interactive on-line presentations that discussed the Trail Friendly Business Survey results and solicited  feedback to help D&L leadership better understand how to support business owners. To further support Trail Friendly Businesses, Eastwick developed a Toolkit comprised of resources and best practices to help businesses attract more trail customers, improve customer service and collaborate more closely with D&L.

Additionally, Eastwick produced a series of seminars for key stakeholders, providing the audience with information about the economic, health, recreation and social benefits of trails. These webinars provided relevant national, state and local data and studies and encouraged local government, economic development agencies and other key stakeholders to collaborate with D&L to improve the trail user experience and support regional economic development.