Friends Group Asks for Community Input on ADA-Proposed Trails
By: Karen Skubik:
December 30, 2014
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Just over a year ago the Friends of Wooster Memorial Park received a grant to purchase a 49-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Woosters largest park. But the non-profit groups vision to make the new acquisition available to everyone, including those with physical disabilities, necessitates the writing of yet another grant to fund the project and they need the communitys help.
Since 1961 when Paul S. Spangler, a Wooster native and high school teacher, made the first donation for what is now called Wooster Memorial Park (WMP), the City of Wooster has added several parcels to make a 325-acre natural recreation area used year-round for hiking and other passive recreation and nature study.
The current trails are considered rigorous by some and include steep inclines, stream crossings, and occasional loose rocks. While these challenging conditions make WMP a desirable place for avid hikers and members of local running clubs, those with physical challenges are often unable to make their way to the beautiful overlooks or view the depths of the park where the areas geologic past is displayed. The Friends of Wooster Memorial Park (FWMP) plan to change this situation.
Through Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Funds, FWMP purchased what is now called Kenwood Acres named after Kenneth Woodrow Hartman who moved to the Silver Road property when he was only six months old in the late 1800s. Hartman and his wife Gladys went on to raise children of their own on the site as explained by his daughter, Norma Stair.
Stair and her two younger brothers became joint owners of the property that consisted of mostly arable land. When none of the siblings cared to farm their family-owned site, they decided it was time to put the land up for sale.
Cathy Herms, president of the FWMP caught wind of their desire to sell, and according to Stair, Cathy got hold of me and never let go, adding It would be a good fit and an honor for Kenneth and Gladys to have the land go to the Friends of Wooster Memorial Park.
Our board talked years ago about putting in a disabilities trail, but it kind of got dropped over time, according to Shelley Schrier, vice-president of FWMP. Then Gerald and Norma came along. The Stairs have a couple friends with physical limitations and thought it would be great for them to be able to see and enjoy the park, so the FWMP are writing a new grant proposal to the Clean Ohio Recreational Trails Program to develop wheelchair accessible trails and a parking lot on Kenwood Acres which currently comprises 28 acres of gently sloping farm land, 20 acres of forest and forested ravines, and 1 acre old homestead.
The mostly level terrain of Kenwood Acres provides an excellent opportunity to create hiking trails that are accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The $200,000 proposal calls for the creation of 12-car asphalt parking area; initial development of about one mile of handicap-accessible asphalt trail, along with bridge and boardwalk sections where necessary; construction of an ADA-approved overlook with a view deep into the forested ravine; installation of an instructional kiosk at the parking lot and interpretive signage along the trails; and consultation with professional engineering/design services to ensure that all construction on Kenwood Acres meets or exceeds Federal ADA-compliance standards, and have minimal negative impact on the natural resources of the site.
As a former school psychologist who spent his career working with people with disabilities, Schrier exclaimed, Oh yeah! How perfect can this be?
The Clean Ohio Fund restores, protects, and connects Ohio's important natural and urban places by preserving green space and farmland, and improving outdoor recreation. As part of the application process, the Fund requires public input so the FWMP are asking the public to respond to the following questions:
1. Is Wayne County in need of ADA trails?
2. Do you support the effort to establish an ADA trail/facility on Kenwood Acres at the southeast corner of Wooster Memorial Park?
3. Would you or someone you know use this trail?
Herms requested that responses be sent by email to friendswmp@gmail.com or by ground mail to Friends of WMP, P.O. Box 1776, Wooster, OH, 44691.
Additional information including trail maps may be found at www.friendsofwmp.com by following the link for input sought on ADA trails.
Norma Stair concluded that the proposed development would be a good memorial to her parents. Dad was proud of the land, said Stair. If hes looking down on us now hes happy.
