Out for a Stroll on Improved Paths

Walking Path Near PMC

With early spring temperatures moving into the warm range of 60s and 70s, more Lamar residents are starting to stretch their daily or weekend exercise walking routes.  One recently improved course circles the medical campus off Memorial Drive. 

Emily Nieschburg of Healthy Places told the PCDI board members recently that the course was recently upgraded by the City of Lamar, laying down a newly graded bed of city road base and crusher fine.  The improved route is about a half a mile around and is used by a lot of staff from High Plains Community Health Clinic, Prowers Medical Center and the other facilities which share Kendall Drive.   

The pathway is one of several being reviewed as a part of the Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan for the City of Lamar.   There are four core areas of focus on the project she said, including the Northern Neighborhoods which includes Escondido and Northside parks, the Civic Center areas stretch east and west, from Bicentennial Park to the Lamar Middle School, Community Building, Savage Stadium and Washington School. The Willow Creek Area encompasses Willow Creek Park, Pool, Tennis Courts and Parkview School and is adjacent to Kendall Drive.  The Sports Hub and Willow Creek Area is divided by the Fort Bent Canal and contains the playing fields along Savage Avenue, the County Fairgrounds and Lamar High School.  One long range plan calls for a seven mile walking or bicycle loop to surround the city and tie in with existing walking paths.  Some ideas discussed by the PCDI board included development of paths that parallel some of the canals and the Arkansas River running between Lamar, Granada, Holly and Wiley.

By Russ Baldwin