HANSVILLE GREENWAY UPDATE
The Lower Hawks Pond viewing platform… a treasure within the Hansville Greenway.
An elevated viewing platform at the South border of the trail system overlooking the 40-acre wetlands of Lower Hawks Pond was built by volunteers in the summer of 2004. It was dedicated to the memory of two nature loving Hansville residents, Lauren Keen and Weencie Fite. Both the Fite and Keen families provided funding for the project. Sid Knutson organized the materials and volunteer work parties. About 14 volunteers built the platform in just a week during May.
Now, 14 years later some of the steps leading up to platform were showing their age and beginning to rot. So for safety reasons, a group of volunteers carried in new material and replaced those steps that needed new boards. The platform provides a great view of the pond and the wetlands, As many as 200 different species have been counted there including Great Blue Herons, Bonparte Gulls, Kildeers, Bald Eagles, Ospreys and several different species of ducks and other pond birds.
It is an easy walk (2.5 miles round trip) from the Greenway entrance at Buck Lake Park to the viewing platform at Lower Hawks Pond. There is a map at the Otter Meadow kiosk to guide you. You can also view it on our website, www.hansvillegreenway.org.
The next Grrenway Ass’n. Meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 7 at the Greater Hansville Community Center. Come and join us. Dues are not required to be a member and a volunteer.
Here’s the crew that worked on replacing the steps:
