(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council Monday reviewed plans for trail projects at a couple of city parks. City Administrator Penny Clayton says one would increase parking spaces at the trail head at Fitzgibbons Park. She says another part of the project would connect two trails at that same park from the south side of 14th Avenue North, cutting across the park and connecting with an existing walking trail…
“And then it cuts across Fitzgibbons Park in the same path that the walkers already use to get across that park, and it ties into the sidewalk at Maplecrest which is a route that walkers are currently using. So it’s connecting two pieces of basically what amounts to trail space.”
She says a new crossing at Maplecrest Drive would also be a part of the project…
“We have not yet begun conversation with the D.O.T as to whether or not they’re going to want us to put in flashers there. That may be something that they want. The Parks Board really wanted to see this piece go in as soon as possible and they also believe crossing at Maplecrest, which is the one the walkers are already using, is much safer than the situation you have at 14th Avenue North there, the north Casey’s. There’s too many things happening in too many directions there to really accomplish that.”
Clayton says another trail project is planned for the southeast side of Thoreson Park in the area of 6th Avenue North and North 17th Street…
“Basically if you were to come off the sidewalk in front of Good Sam and slightly veer to your northwest, you can then make a connection to that sidewalk that will take you up to our main trail. It also has a smaller section of sidewalk that will take you to the open shelter there. That, in particular, we’ve had requests from the folks at Good Sam. They’d like to push their parents in a wheelchair out but they want to have a shady spot for them to sit and just observe the comings and goings of nature. Also there are a lot of people that park down 17th Street and they park on 6th Avenue. This would make a nice connection for them to get up to the trail without having to walk behind all of the cars as they’re going up the Thoreson parking. And so we just think it would be a very beneficial connection there.”
Clayton adds the projects are being recommended by the city’s Parks Board and received the go-ahead from the city council Monday.
