A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new concrete path at Ada Hayden Heritage Park was held Thursday.
Ames Parks and Recreation Department, Ames City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission hosted the event, which took place at 4 p.m. and celebrated the Trail Improvement Project, which began in August.
Keith Abraham, Parks and Recreation Director, said improvements to the path were necessary for the lifespan and the safety of community members. The former path, poured with the park’s opening in 2004, was 10 feet in width, which Abraham said didn’t accommodate the popularity of the trail.
“The 10-foot wasn’t wide enough because of all the use that we get,” Abraham said. “The wider path allows the opportunity for various modes of transportation, such as walking and jogging, along with bicycles and scooters, to ensure a safer and more enjoyable experience for all users.”
Willow trees surround much of the three miles of hard trail, and as they grow, their roots would create bumps in the asphalt surface.
“The willows spread by the root system, so we get a lot of roots growing up through that asphalt, creating little bubbles, which was a safety concern,” Abraham said.
The old asphalt surface began to slough off on the sides and required maintenance from park crews. Abraham said the new surface of the trail will be concrete, which he said will create longevity and require less maintenance.
“The concrete path winds up being a 30 to 40-year lifespan, whereas with the asphalt, our experience was that it didn’t really even last 20,” Abraham said. “Hopefully we get twice [as long].”
One sustainability feature of the project was the milling of asphalt, creating base material for the new concrete surface without hauling material on and off the construction site.
“We took the asphalt path and we milled it, and then those millings were put down as the base for the concrete,” Abraham said. “We didn’t have to take all the millings off-site, and then bring in a bunch of rock. We were able to reuse that.”
Tile and drainage were added to the northwest side of the park to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall.
“We added some tile and drainage so the water will now hit those tiles and go underneath the path, to the lake, rather than over the path,” Abraham said. “Hopefully, we’ll eliminate any safety issues that way, too.”
To promote safety, graphics will be painted on the sidewalk surface to create separation between pedestrians and people on wheels.
“What we’re trying to do is get feet to use the lakeside of the trail and wheels to use the non-lakeside of the trail,” Abraham said.
Regardless of direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, walkers and runners should use the lakeside of the trail and those on wheels should remain on the other side.
“We are really trying to avoid some of those encounters,” Abraham said.
A final touch to the project is signage that will encourage respectful park use.
“Signage isn’t up yet, but we are going to be putting some signage up and really trying to stress being respectful,” Abraham said. “Announce your presence, be kind, yield to pedestrians.”
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, a city council member representing Ward One, explained the contributions that the Friends of Ada Hayden have made to the park. The Friends of Ada Hayden is a citizen group that provides advice and raises funds for various projects.
“They advise us on topics related to Ada Hayden, like water quality and land management,” Beatty-Hansen said. “They’re all really invested in Ada Hayden and keeping it a very clean and pristine place.”
Beatty-Hansen encouraged students to find a way out to the park, which is located at 5205 Grand Ave., Ames.
“I would highly encourage [students] to try to find a way out here,” Beatty-Hansen said. “Whether it’s getting a ride from a friend, or if they do have a bicycle, heading up, because it is quite beautiful and it is, as the mayor mentioned, one of the crown jewels of the park system here in town.”
Final touches are being made, and the park officially opens to the public Saturday.
