By GLENN WOJCIAK

The Post staff writer

A study into the feasibility of designating much of Northeast Ohio known as the Western Reserve as a national heritage area produced disappointing results.

According to Rory Robinson, who conducted the study for the National Park Service, the report concludes the heritage designation is suitable for the region, but not feasible. In other words, the region has a rich history worthy of the designation, but not an organization with the resources and capacity to manage the responsibilities associated with the national heritage designation.

"The region has a great story and a lot of people interested in the history, but we haven't found an organization ready to accept a leadership role in this effort," Robinson said. "We're not talking about $1 million by any means, but some financial resources are needed to manage this effort and no one has come forward to do that."

That does not mean efforts to preserve the heritage of the area have ceased, however. Robinson is scheduled to send his report to Congress later this spring, but he said it will up to Congress to decide what action is taken on the recommendation.

The feasibility study was launched at the request of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and the National Park Service was assigned responsibility to conduct the study. Local steering committees were formed in the summer and fall of 2009 and Robinson conducted a series of public meetings around the region to gather input and ideas.

The study looked at themes involving migration, transportation, industry, Lake Erie, land use and architecture and uncovered compelling stories that define the Western Reserve.

"The overarching story we came up with is that the Western Reserve serves as the nation's town square," Robinson said. "You find evidence of that in the landscape and how the people have preserved it."

Medina County Commissioner Steve Hambley served on one of the steering committees for the feasibility study. He is not ready to give up efforts to preserve the 14-county region's heritage.

"It's on life support, but it's not dead," Hambley said. "Our next task is to find an organization that can administer this."

Hambley said a solution might be found in one of several regional organizations he is active in. He is president of the board of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and a new group formed to administer a multimillion dollar federal sustainability grant for the region that closely mirrors the Western Reserve.

"I'm not giving up on it yet," Hambley said. "I'm going to take the idea to some of the regional organizations I'm involved in to see if we can come up with more support for this.

There are 49 national heritage areas across the country, including two in Ohio: the Ohio and Erie Canalway and the National Aviation Heritage Area.

According to Robinson, national heritage areas differ from national parks in that they receive minimal funding from the federal government. What they can do is help preserve stories, cultures and natural resources, provide economic stimulus, educate and foster community pride.

Robinson also had two more public meetings scheduled last week in Elyria and Rootstown before finalizing his report. He also plans to attach an addendum to the report containing additional public comments.

Additional thoughts or comments are welcomed and encouraged until April 29. To make a submission, visit the Western Reserve Heritage Feasibility Study project page at the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment Web site at parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=27752. From this site, you can download an electronic version of the study, as well as submit your comments to project planners with the National Park Service.