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Wednesday, April 30, 2003

By Cheryl L. Cherico

Findlay supervisors will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Friday to celebrate a block-long link to the Montour Trail that provides access from Wilson Elementary School on Boggs Road.

The proposal was introduced nearly five years ago by Danice Brinkley, a former supervisor and Wilson second-grade teacher.

"We thought this would be a great outdoor classroom and this has been a labor of love because we naturally want to protect the environment and want the kids to learn about protecting the environment," Brinkley said.

The idea came from former Wilson principal Frank Bruno and the school's environmental committee.

"I pushed the project with the [Findlay] board, but Frank Bruno came up with the idea," Brinkley said. The committee wanted to see a connection to the Montour Trail that could enhance environmental education while adding a new source for recreation for the community.

Findlay Manager Gary Klingman said the project involved a deed research, easement agreements and legal issues involving a utility transmission line.

A fully assembled bridge between a short path off Boggs and the trail itself was installed recently as part of the extension project.

Total cost of the project is estimated at nearly $30,000 --part of which will be reimbursed to the township by a $27,000 state grant.

Wilson teachers said they plan to incorporate the trail with science and environmental studies through nature hikes. Sherry Tisdale, a fourth-grade language arts and science teacher, said second graders take environmental studies and have had to travel to Browning Ferris Inc. in Findlay for projects.

"This connection will allow them another access to get onto the trail," Tisdale said. The staff also plans to pull in all grade levels and find some use for the trail, such as looking as erosion, pollinators, birds and butterflies.

Tisdale said the fourth grade currently studies a unit on land and water and the trail could definitely be useful during that time to help students make observations.

To reach the Montour Trail, students will walk down Bruno Lane (the school driveway), cross Boggs in a marked crosswalk, walk along Boggs for a short stretch, turn onto a path and cross the bridge. A fence has been erected along Boggs for safety.

"We also wanted this to be a way to let the rest of the community make a connection to Wilson, because we have done a lot of other projects in the area such as the log cabin and butterfly gardens," Tisdale said.

With the use of the trail, the community will now be able to make the connection and be able to observe other projects that have been completed over the years.

Findlay police also believe the trail could provide additional safety for students at Wilson, saying it could be used as an emergency evacuation route from the school.

Individuals planning to attend Friday's ceremony should park in the Wilson lot and walk to the site.

Cheryl L. Cherico is a free-lance writer.