It's cold outside yet still I have to force myself to get up and get out there. It was a slightly warmer day and we were ready to do the crazy idea I had... well, partly...
My great idea was to walk the line of the Frank and Poet Drainage Creek. There is a trail that runs aside this creek, and I have taken it as far as I could go. Once. Figured, let me get my lovers and do it with someone this time. We didn't make it that far. We stopped at this spot, and it seemed to be a great stopping spot, as you can see the stumps of the trees in the below photo. They are on the trail, so you have to do some climbing... and when it's cold outside and you're not dressed the best, it becomes more of a challenge to escape versus we got this.
So, we hung here for a while and seen a few little duckies. And walked our sort of typical trails here.
So the above image was our turning point.
Let's talk about how it started...
We parked at the school and started on our journey, a nice cold wet winters day. Hey, at least it didn't start snowing yet. But after less than 100 steps on to trail, you will meet this view.
Anyway, as you see the walk path is... well, mucky, wet, and, to be honest, not that pleasing to walk on. How are we to get more people outside when they don't want to get their shoes wet?
I'm all for muddy trails and off trails that are not upkept but this is like the main trail. Some sort of natural foot placements would be wonderful here. As my father said, coaster wood cut as foot stones is a natural way for people to get around the muck. That way you're still in a fully natural setting.
My idea is based around Cape Flattery Trail. I am thinking at least around the pond where it connects to the paved trail would be nice to be ideally maintained. In the springtime, it's a flooded mess. It's full of natural ways for people to get around. It's like they didn't go to lowes and just used what was around in a great, artistic, natural way.
Once you get past the really bad mucky-muck, the trail looks wet but more compacted in areas closer to the lake/pond (next photo). Then you can see the pond /lake with the dock all that wet mucky stuff. Well, in spring time the it's a floating dock. So I do feel more boardwalk is needed to make this park a huge hit.
This park has a special place in my heart. Not because it's a childhood staple. It's because it's been around for so long and I just learned about it a couple years ago. Like, BAM here is your park. It's the closest natural wooded area to my home. Makes me wish Wyandotte had something like this. I have to admit, I fell in love with the lake/pond, the dock, and this hidden gem in Southgate a lot of people are unaware of. How sad.
This park offers up four benches. If you can get to them in the summer without getting a tick on you. Most people say stay on trail. But good luck, so many people don't know about this place that the trails seem to not stay in the summer due to lack of activity.
So, if you go please remember to bring tick stuff and do a triple tick check. Trust me.
So this park gives me a lot of struggles. Oh, I wish I was granted a park like this. With low funding, I'll make it work with or without money.
As for the four benches, one is near what I think is the true start of the nature center. Or it's the city start. It's really confusing with the land being split by the high school and by the city and some for sale. It's all connected together.
Two of them are close together on a hill, and one last one also on a hill next to a small pine tree of one type. And with the last image is a view from there you can almost see the lake/pond. hehehe and on that note enjoy the photos and thanks for reading!
PS any connections to this park please contact ASAP
Hi Pril - After you sent me here and I visited this park back in January, I thought the same thing about the wooden walkway. I started going along the walkway and noticed several holes in it - it was an accident waiting to happen. I think, if memory serves me right, that there was a message that said "trails are not kept up in Winter" but that would not apply to the walkways I wouldn't think. Here is my idea - contact the City of Southgate and/or the school next door and see if they can organize something come Spring ... see if they can get the Southgate Lowes to donate some wood and a couple of carpenters or people handing with some basic building skills to donate their time to build new walkways and haul away the old stuff. When I first started walking at Council Point Park, we had a woman mayor ... can't think of her name (first name was "Pat") and she has since passed away. But she organized these clean-up days at the Park once or twice a year. If that could be done with local high school students or local Boy Scout, Eagle Scout or Girl Scout troops volunteering, that would be great. Be sure to point out how someone could trip and fall and sue the City or some entity connected with the City (like the school as isn't it partly on their grounds?) I personally think a lot could be done with Council Point Park too - and with no clean-up efforts and letting it deteriorate, that is not good either. Last year there was a big wind storm and one of the memorial trees blew down - it laid there for a long time, and these are trees that people purchased for loved ones' memory, etc. Good luck with getting help on sprucing it up! - Linda
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