Venturing into the great outdoors and going for a stroll on the Salt Creek Trail will soon provide not only enrichment for the body, but for the mind of children and families alike.
The Brown County Public Library has partnered with Brown County Parks and Recreation to bring a Story Walk to life on the trail.
The Story Walk will feature 18 panels on posts along the trail with early literacy elements built into each page for families who are outside doing movement activities.
The panels will focus on different parts of a book, which will change up to four times a year. The first panel on the trail will introduce the story and objectives, BCPL Executive Director Stori Snyder said.
The first book will be “Winter Dance” by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Richard Jones.
Every so many feet there will be an interactive movement and story to be read on the next panel.
Once children and families reach the end, there will be more objectives to complete at home to continue the fun.
Snyder presented the idea to the Brown County Commissioners at their meeting in October.
Commissioner Diana Biddle said she thought it was a “great idea” and that the commissioners were “100 percent supportive.”
A memorandum of understanding between parks and rec, the library and the commissioners for the Story Walk was approved at the Dec. 15 commissioners meeting.
The signs will be along the existing portion of the Salt Creek Trail, from CVS pharmacy, 292 S. Van Buren St., to the Brown County YMCA.
The self-guided Story Walks are placed along trails to “inspire parents, teachers, and caregivers to take young children outside for physical activity and learning at the same time,” the MOU states.
Providing opportunities for families and community members to practice literacy skills and continue to develop those skills is a goal for the library, the MOU continues.
This project is being funded by a grant to the Brown County Public Library as well as Friends of BCPL who will pay for the installation.
Parks and recreation Director Mark Shields said that Snyder approached him about the idea in June.
The library board approved the project and the funding. The parks and rec board has agreed to aid in the maintenance of the posts, preventing graffiti or other damage. The commissioners own the Salt Creek Trail.
“I think it’ll be a nice little addition,” Shields said.
“It will hopefully get kids more interested in reading. … (It is) something else to do with their parents, or whomever, as they walk the trail.”
