As hundreds of cyclists poured through the Summit City, there was hope that the event would not only bring some exercise and entertainment to the participants but hopefully a changed view of the community in general.FORT WAYNE – Allen County parks unveiled Wednesday a new hiking initiative modeled after a similar project in Ohio.
The Allen County Trailblazers program will designate 15 mile-long trails in Fox Island and Metea parks starting Sept. 1, and program participants who trek at least 10 of the listed paths will receive a specialized reward.
Bob Dispenza, Allen County Parks and Recreation Department education manager, said he hopes to replicate the long-term success of the 48-year-old Fall Hiking Spree in Summit County, Ohio, where more than 12,000 residents crossed the trail threshold last year. As a naturalist at Summit Metro Parks from 1990 to 2000, Dispenza witnessed the program’s benefits for local exposure and engagement.
“It’s working well for them,” he said. “It’s kind of becoming a family institution.”
Nathan Eppink, a spokesman at Summit Metro Parks, said the program pays huge dividends: Summit Metro Parks has experienced increased visitation rates over the past eight years and surpassed 5 million annual visits for the first time last year.
Allen County’s foray into collective hiking is already poised for a smooth run, Eppink said. He attributed his initiative’s milestones to not charging participation fees, a feat made possible by the parks district’s ability to collect a local property tax.
$2 walking sticks
The Trailblazers outline calls for $2 from any hiker who wishes to buy a walking stick on which program awards can be mounted.
Dispenza said because Allen County parks are not a political division of the state, as is the Summit County urban land unit, he must rely on sponsors to fund the Trailblazers operation.
Friends of Metea, a Leo-Cedarville-based organization that advocates for the preservation and development of Metea Park, has contributed $500 of seed money to Allen County Trailblazers along with the Fox Island Alliance.
Allen County Trailblazers kicks off Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30, with the last awards being distributed Jan. 30.
Walking sticks and other awards, including bronze medallions that can be affixed to the walking sticks, can be redeemed at the Metea or Fox Island nature centers, the New Haven parks office or the Fort Wayne parks office.
