The Tom Collins Rotary Memorial Walking Trail got its official opening on Sunday, October 6, 2024 with quite the event taking place at the South Street (Bill Phelps) Park…beautiful sunny day with fall-approaching southwest breezes…which began to pile up tall purple clouds and resound with thunder as the afternoon went on (severe thunderstorm warnings coming from the Youngstown stations); but the ceremonies proceeded, uninterrupted, to the finale, with a round of applause and a group walk to inaugurate this outstanding facility. This began with the walkers passing through the raised blue-and-gold balloon arch which marked the trail beginning and where the over-sized scissors cut the ribbon to open the walk.
Dr. Mike Carlson said it truly when he described Tom Collins as “a giver” and an inspiration when it came to community service and environmental responsibility. Those sentiments and more in the same vein were seen on the handmade luminarias (nightlights of Hispanic origin), made by attendees, decorated with personal messages, which were placed along the trail, to highlight the eighty-four sponsorship signs along the trail and the many groups, individuals and businesses–local (Summerfest, RoadApple Roubaix, etc.) and farther from home–who joined in the efforts which resulted in this project. Refreshments were available to all under the park pavilion; this included some fifty or so adults–not all Collinses, but they were well-represented– and numerous kids, who seemed to be enjoying all the festivities.
It is a fine walking trail, not too hilly, not too flat, skirting the woods, with parking available at either end, access to the Headwaters Trail and the Charles Abraham Dog Park, good sightlines for any parent sitting at ball fields waiting for a ball game or ball practice to come to an end. Somewhere, Tom Collins is smiling.
