Silver Lake Nature Center celebrated the opening of a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant trail with a ribbon cutting and celebration Saturday afternoon.
The trail connects the Earthship piece of the center to the main nature center building along Bath Road in Bristol Township. It allows visitors to go from one part of the center to another easily and through trails. The trail also connects the whole of the Silver Lake Nature Center to Silver Lake Park, both of which are part of the county park system.
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The trail is the result of a multi-faceted effort. The money for the materials was donated by Parx Casino, the nature center bought all of the supplies and a Boy Scout constructed the trail for his Eagle Scout project.
“We’ve always wanted ADA trails in all parts of the nature center,” explained Jerry Kozlansky, the director of the nature center.
Terrain means some part of the land are not able to have an ADA trail, Kozlansky said.
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“It really enhances the park and makes the trail much more accessible.” said Hope Sauppe, president of the nonprofit Friends of the Silver Lake Nature Center. “This is one of those occasions where you just have to take time to celebrate your accomplishments.”
Josh Stephens, the Eagle Scout who helped to construct the actual trail, said he spent a lot of time at the nature center as a child and wanted to spread some love there for his Eagle Scout project.
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“I wanted to do good for the community and make the trails a little more accessible,” Stephens explained.
Bigger projects, like the new trails, wouldn’t be possible without gifts and donations like the one from Parx Casino that made the trails possible, nature center officials said.
“It gets everyone inspired and gives us the funds and the means to be able to do what we want to do,” explained Patti Ann Cutter, the assistant director of the nature center.
