Nature Path

This past Sunday Janine and I walked to church. Not only was it a fantastic morning, sunny and about 55 degrees, but we got to use the new nature path running behind our house. Here's Janine on it. Note that she is holding not only her purse, but her two favorite Care Bears.

The big story is that the township is building a nature park on the empty land behind our house. Originally the school district owned the property. All sorts of rumors went around that they would build everything from a new school (good) to a bus barn (bad). About 10 years ago the township bought the property. Then the rumors shifted to lighted ball fields and all night softball leagues.

Finally the township parks director drew up a plan for a nature park and presented it to all of us skeptics who lived next to the land. (About 300 feet of our lot fronts it.) We gave it our grudging approval. The parcel is too small to be developed for houses profitably while meeting township requirements. We all also knew that it would be developed someday, so why not now? Besides, a nature park would pose the fewest potential problems.

It's still under construction from last fall, but they have put in about a mile of walking path, the base for the small parking lot and leveled the land for the all-purpose field. The plan also calls for a tennis court, playground, rest rooms and a sand volleyball court. The parks director tells me that they are building it as the funds become available, so I'm not holding my breath for sand volleyball. We'll keep you posted.

(It's been a hectic week so it took a few days to get this posted.)