Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening
ADEC and the City of Goshen invite our families and neighbors to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening of the Ashley VanVurst Sensory Trail at Abshire Park on 1302 E. Lincoln Avenue, Goshen, IN 46528. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 1:00 PM.
About the Ashley VanVurst Sensory Trail
The City of Goshen and ADEC Inc. have combined efforts to develop the sensory trail project to connect persons with disabilities to the natural environment’s physiological and psychological benefits and provide them with the opportunity to access technology that can enhance the interactive trail experience. The project includes access for both persons who can actively participate and those who may be homebound.
The sensory trail includes four miles of two existing public trails with open, calm areas, water, and natural habitats. Naturalist interns cataloged over 900 features while local computer science students at Goshen College developed an app to provide a guided sensory experience so users can learn, relax and engage the senses through touching, smelling, seeing, hearing, and tasting the world around them. The project integrates physical, and app accessibility features designed to accommodate adults with diverse disabilities, including physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities. As part of this project, the City established a lending library of 10 iPads at Reith Interpretative Center to ensure that persons can access the trail app and participate in the complete trail experience.
For those unable to utilize the trails, the project will install three stationary nature web cameras to allow 24-hour access to the natural environment’s sights and sounds. Science has consistently documented the positive benefits of interacting with nature, lower stress, better mood, increased concentration, and others. This project will provide opportunities for safe, interactive outings for recreation or therapy for all.
The Ribbon Cutting will bring people together to celebrate our local natural settings, view the project, and acknowledge the persons who have worked on bringing this project to life. The app is expected to be available to the general public in October.
This project was funded by the Community Connections for People with Disabilities grant offered through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, in partnership with the Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services. The grant opportunity is a Community Development Block Grant made available due to the supplemental CDBG Coronavirus Funds authorized under the CARES Act.
(Article content provided by The City of Goshen’s Environmental Resilience Department)
