ATWOOD – What was once the location of Atwood Elementary School is now becoming the site for a new half-mile walking and biking trail.
The trail will be part of the Prairie Township Park, located behind the Atwood Community Building. Its squarish shape extends as far back as U.S. 30, and part of the trail is wooded.
According to Prairie Township Trustee Julia Goon, Atwood School was closed in 2004 by the Warsaw Community School Corp. Board of School Trustees. Law required the school corporation to offer the school back to the township.
“We negotiated it for several months and took an extension on our decision,” Goon said.
In September 2005, the township accepted ownership of the school site. There was some debate about what to use the school and land for, and keeping the gym open.
Deciding that the township couldn’t afford to keep the school open, it went for auction in 2006. Divided into four parcels, the township retained 6.68 acres and auctioned off the other three parcels.
With the acreage, it was decided to turn it into Prairie Township Park, which is still a “work in progress,” Goon said.
The school building was auctioned off to a local individual, who sold it to New Hope Church. The church renovated the school into their church.
“We are very thankful for that,” Goon said.
On the 6.68 acres the township kept, the township board and Goon decided to put in a half-mile walking and biking trail. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the property.
Township funds were used to pay for the trail, Goon said. The trail should be completed within one to four weeks.
According to Jim Moyer, of Good Excavating and Hauling LLC, Atwood, the trail will be recycled asphalt. It will be six feet wide and a half-mile long.
Good Excavating is the contractor for the trail. Mark Slabaugh, A Cut Above Lawn Service, is the maintenance contractor for the park.
A 100-foot by 200-foot parking lot was put in place in 2009.
“It’s just a place for people to park and for the community building adjacent to it,” Goon said.
Also in consideration for the park is a picnic pavilion.
There is a ball diamond in the park, which no one uses but could be used, Goon said. A local Scout troop is considering renovating the ball diamond and putting the actual ball field back in as an Eagle Scout project. The backstop for the ball diamond is still in place.
Prairie Township board members are Marjorie Himes, Gordon Drake and Virginia Baker.
