Norristown Businesses Should Capitalize On Schuylkill River Trail: Group

One local organization thinks that the Schuylkill River Trail has the potential to be an economic engine.

Barton Partners, based in Norristown, is holding a conference to help local businesses capitalize on the potential of the trail.

According to the conference announcement, over 200,000 people use the trail, including 1,000 cyclists per day, and about 2,000 per day on the weekends. In addition, hundreds of walkers and runners use the trail every day.

“How’s business? How about a few thousand more customers?” Barton asks.

The group hopes to offer businesses ”easy additions and modifications to add value to the trail and river users,” they said.

Bike rental shops, breweries like the Conshohocken and Manayunk Brewing Companies, and dozens of cafes and other local businesses have set up shop along the trail. They’ve also made their businesses “trail-friendly” by providing easy access, outdoor seating, clear directions, and places to lock bikes.

The Schuylkill River Trail was voted the Best Urban Trail in the United States earlier this year.

The conference will take place on October 28 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Barton Partners’ office on 700 East Main Street, number 301, in Norristown.