Community Walking Trail in Search of a Few Good Feet

Get on your walking shoes, the The Washington Road Community Trail (WRC) is finally ready for foot traffic. There will be a celebration Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon with games, goodies and a scavenger hunt. 

The trail, which has been in the works for two years, features a 3.26 mile loop on various terrains that include mixed hills, flat surfaces, grass, rocks, crushed stone and wooded areas. It runs the length of Washington Rd. in Westminster from Rt. 97 north to Hook Road parallel to Rt. 97.

Access points to the trail can be found on the grounds of most of the organizations along Washington Rd. including the Westminster High School, Carroll County Career & Technology Center, Carroll County Youth Services Bureau, Robert Moton Elementary School, Gateway School, Carroll Community College and Y of Central Maryland, Carroll County. 

Cindy Piazza works at the Community Media Center and is a member of the WRC Trail steering committee. She said that most of the organizations along the trail ar represented by someone serving on the WRC Trail steering committee. 

According to Piazza, it took that many individuals and groups working together to bring this trail to fruition. 

"This has been a wonderful collaborative experience. We really needed a walking trail on this side of town," Piazza said.

Rob Schilling, a teacher at Gateway, and several of his students made bluebird boxes that can be found along the trail. The boxes not only serve as a way to build habitats for local animals, but several of the boxes also serve as trail guides. There are maps and distance markers posted on some of the bird boxes, too.

Piazza said there are also a handful of bat boxes along the trail that were decorated and installed by Schilling and his class. 

Carroll Community College students also pitched in to get the trail ready and Piazza said that the county helps out as needed with providing debris pick-up and occasional brush maintenance. 

"This will be a really nice path for anyone who wants to run or hike. It's also a good place for a nature walk because of the 100-plus bluebird boxes," Piazza said. 

The WRC Trail has attained nonprofit status and donation information can be found on the website. Piazza said that her goal is to raise some money so that more improvements can be made on the trail. 

"We hope to raise additional funds and start planning projects for the trail," Piazza said. "We would love to be able to have the entire trail be wheelchair accessible." 

If you are interested in volunteering to serve on the WRC Trail steering committee or want more information, (including a downloadable map of the trail), visit the website. 

The trail is free to use and open to the public. Piazza said that typical public park rules apply--enter at your own risk, closed after dark and clean up after your pet.

Saturday Event Details:
The general public is invited to walk the trail, participate in a free mini scavenger hunt and in a Family Fun Walk around the Y of Central Maryland between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Saturday. Guides and restrooms will be available at various points along the trail. Visit www.wrctrail.org for more information.