The Golden Ram Recreational Trail ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, Apr. 22 at the corner of South New Street and Tigue Road.
Richard Przywara greeted the public with the official grand opening of the Golden Ram Recreational Trail located on South Campus. Przywara represents the West Chester University Foundation, which is a private foundation whose mission is to advance the educational purpose of WCU.
When the WCU Foundation was brainstorming on what the community could use, they decided that they wanted something that would be low impact, useful, and wouldn’t damage the environment. With the help of the East Bradford Township, Przywara stated, “We marked the trail with chalk, realized that we could maintain it and it would be beneficial to everyone.”
According to Przywara, “the purpose of the trail is for students to have a health amenity and something that the community can use.”
“The trail is located in a convenient place and relaxing to walk,” said Przywara. “I am a hiker and I believe nature is a very important factor that helps maintain trails.”
Dr. Gerard Hertel, a professor at WCU who teaches Biology, Dendrology, and Entomology, provided some history on the Robert B. Gordon Natural Area. He explained that the trail is an area of the forest that has never been developed. However, research has been conducted and studied on it since 1968.
Hertel mentioned that the area that the entire trail is on was previously a farm and only deer were able to enjoy it. Przywara and Hertel said that the opportunity to open up this area was appreciated and good use would come of it.
The trail includes many features, such as informational signs where people can learn about its history, and halfway through it there is an earthquake monitor, which is a device that picks up on forthcoming earthquakes.
The trail starts at the corner of South New Street and Tigue Road, goes in a full circle behind the South Campus apartments, directly down South New Street, and ends with a little piece of forest.
The trail covers over 100 acres of land and is a part of the Robert B. Gordon Natural Area for Environmental Studies.
Many students will be able to travel through the area and take notes to complete research projects.
The Golden Ram Recreational Trail will provide students with a break from campus life without having to leave campus, but can also learn about the history of the trail.
Brittany Donald is a fourth-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at BD760628@wcupa.edu.