By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DEERFIELD TWP. - After years of discussions, the Kings Mills area of this Warren County township is another step closer to repairing and installing sidewalks.

The township will begin meeting with area residents this summer to discuss the feasibility of improving walkways and installing curbs and sidewalks in other areas.

The project could cost upwards of $800,000, says Larry Weis, Deerfield's public works director.

That money would be allocated over several years.

"We want to look at a complete sidewalk system in that area, one that will tie into the schools and our park land and serve our community," Weis said.

Kings Mills, located north of Paramount's Kings Island, used to be a company town, with a hotel and a powder plant that produced munitions during World War I and later.

It's now home to Kings junior-senior high campus, Kings Mills Elementary and the Kings Schools administrative building.

It also is where the King Mansion is located. The township purchased that 70-acre property in 2001 and is developing it into a park.

Some sidewalks in Kings Mills are eroded, many because there's no curb separating them from the street and people will park their cars there, Weis said.

Replacing and installing new sidewalks in the area could take 10 years.

"There's lots of areas where there's sidewalks now," Weis said of Kings Mills.

"Some are in good shape where they don't need to be replaced. Then there's some that are hardly there."

The township applied for grants funding for the project several years ago but did not get the money, Trustee Bill Morand said.

Kings Mills was not the only sidewalk issue discussed at last week's trustee work session. Trustees agreed Friday to spend $30,000 repairing sidewalks throughout the township.

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E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com