AKRON, Ohio – The Merriman Valley Neighborhood Association is seeking a stop along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to help boost the vibrancy of the valley’s business district.

The association has launched an online petition to gather resident signatures so it can make its case for a new station. The group is working with support from Ward 8 Councilwoman Marilyn Keith.

The nonprofit railroad works in conjunction with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, offering tourist outings via passenger boarding stations from Rockside Station near Cleveland to Northside Station in Akron. The train also offers stops where riders and their bikes can board the train.

The Merriman Valley is the ideal place for a new station because the business district is near the convergence of the national park, Summit Metro Parks Sand Run Trail, and the Towpath Trail, said association President Karen Zampelli. The business district also is close to the border of Cuyahoga Falls.

Establishing a new train station is not out of the question, said Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad President & CEO Joe Mazur.

“There’s a lot of good stuff happening in Akron and also in the valley,” Mazur told cleveland.com on Friday. “We’re open to these types of opportunities but there are always these types of challenges that you’ve got to work through.”

A new train station would need a part-time railroad employee, and a structure enabling passengers to safely get on and off the train, he said. An ADA-accessible building with restrooms would also be necessary along with adequate parking, he said.

The national park would need to be involved because it owns and maintains the tracks.

“We recognize there is a need for this service, but have not been part of discussions as to the feasibility of it,” said CVNP spokeswoman Pamela Barnes.

The Merriman Valley group expects to present a plan to railroad and park officials in June, Zampelli said.

The Merriman Valley hosts many small businesses within a 1.5-mile area, she said, including restaurants and a brewery, stores, theaters, fitness centers, animal rescue agencies, spas and beauty salons.

“We’re just a little hidden gem,” Zampelli said,

A station could be established on the train’s existing route near the Parkway Estates residential development, which is adjacent to the business district, she said. A station was in that area years ago but it was removed.

Adding a stop could boost rider numbers for the railroad, and draw customers to the Merriman Valley from Rockside Road, Peninsula and downtown Akron, where the train has active stations.

“Everybody here wants it,” Zampelli said. “We all want people to come from Peninsula and come see what we have to offer because we’re always going there. We want people from downtown to come visit us.”

The Merriman Valley is one 10 business districts in Akron’s Great Streets initiative, now entering its second year. Great Streets is designed to help bring vibrancy back to small business districts through revolving loans, grants to neighborhood improvement organizations, façade grants and street enhancements.

“The Valley is an untapped treasure of Akron and has never been highlighted or developed to its full potential,” Keith wrote in an email.