It serves as the hub of eight-multi-use trails in the Northern Lehigh area, and attracts a large number of visitors.

It's no wonder, then, why the dedication of the Slatington Trailhead from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday figures to be met with much pride and anticipation.After the ceremony, hot dogs and lemonade will be provided to the public by the Northern Lehigh Community Center.Complete with restrooms, a meeting room with electricity and running water, and a pavilion, all with PenTeleData wireless Internet access, the Trailhead is located in Slatington, adjacent to the Main Street Bridge that connects Slatington and Walnutport.The work was done by the Venture Group, an all-volunteer association of local volunteer civic organizations, municipal governments, and caring individuals.All funding has been obtained from donations, local fund-raisers, and hundreds of volunteer labor hours that have been contributed to the project.The sum total of these in-kind services and donations have saved the Northern Lehigh communities hundreds of thousands of dollars, as the Trailhead bathrooms and pavilion would have cost in excess of $400,000 to erect if grant monies had been used.Thanks to the volunteers, and local businesses, the cost to erect the buildings totaled $125,000. The D&L utilized government grant monies to design and improve the parking lot, berms, grass and trees.State Representative Julie Harhart, members of the Slatington Borough Council, Washington Township Supervisors, Lehigh County, the Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber of Commerce (GNLCC), the Walnutport Canal Association, the Walnutport Playground Association, the Women's Club of Slatington, the Northern Lehigh School District, the Lions Club, the Northern Lehigh Historical Society, Future Focus, the Rotary, the Mason Lodge & Eastern Star, the Northern Lehigh Community Center, Lehigh Engineering, Orkin Steel and the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit all gave of their time and assets.In Aug. of 2011, the 6.2-mile section of the Lehigh County owned and controlled portion of the D&L Trail was opened as part of a ceremony at the Slatington Trailhead.The stretch - known as the Asher Boyer Trail - was named after the Slatington youth who helped create it while a Boy Scout. Asher passed away in 2004.That section of the trail runs from Main Street in Slatington south to Laury's Station. It follows the former Lehigh Valley railroad bed, and is one of several key stretches needed to complete the 165-mile trail from Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County to Bristol in Lower Bucks County.The next Venture Group meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, inside Slatington Borough Hall.The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce's mission is to: deliver value to members through superior programs and services; advocate to advance business interests; unify the Lehigh Valley business community to leverage regional resources and strengthen its collective voice; and to create opportunities for businesses to grow.With over 5,000 members who employ more than 140,000 individuals, the Chamber is the largest in Pennsylvania, and one of the fastest growing in the nation.