By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
A new site has been proposed for a possible Storywalk.
Wabash Park Superintendent Adam Hall and Brian Campbell, president of the Wabash Board of Parks and Recreation, met with Wabash Carnegie Library representatives and suggested placing the Storywalk near the Huntington Street parking lot at Paradise Spring Historical Park.
In April, library officials broached the Storywalk with the park board.
A storybook walk consists of a series of posts with a display in which a page from a storybook is featured. The concept behind the project is to entice families with young children to stroll through the walk and read each page of the storybook. When the walk is finished, the book will have been read.
Most children storybooks have 32 pages, so 17 posts would be needed along the walk. The book would be replaced about once a month.
Library officials first suggested placing the Storywalk along the Wabash River Trail. However, park officials believe that could cause some congestion issues for those walking or riding along the trail.
Hall, in turn, suggested locating the walk along the Charley Creek Trail that links the Morrett Sports Complex and O.J. Neighbours Elementary School, or the new trail near Parkview Wabash Hospital.
Board members also suggested near the inclusive park, however later said they didn’t think that site would be sufficient.
The Huntington Street location already has a trail started, Hall noted.
“The idea was to continue that trail along the brush line, along that grassy area and back to the parking lot,” he said. “The one down side we have here is we don’t have a full trail yet, so that would have to be an addition, somehow.”
Hall said he would seek possible costs.
“If we purposely make it for a Storywalk, only,” Hall told the board, “eight feet would be the minimum we need. We wouldn’t need a 10-foot trail.”
In coming years, the site could be used as a nature trail.
“The benefits I like about this,” he continued, “is the parking lot is readily available. You have the restrooms right there. It’s flat.”
Campbell noted that because it is flat, those in wheelchairs could easily use it.
“There’s plenty of room there,” he said. “Then it would come down to cost again.”
Board member Dan Ford asked if a paved trail is needed, or could the story signs be placed along a grassy trail?
“If we put a trail in, that’s our expense not theirs,” he noted.
Campbell said that wasn’t discussed with library officials, but it could be an option.
Board member Kerri Mattern said she believes the site would be sufficient.
But, Campbell reminded, “all we can do is talk about it right now.”
“If we don’t have the funds to build it, then there’s not much we can do,” he said.