Timeline

This Gold Award project required a considerable amount of time from the initial idea and planning stages to reach its final completion. Let's take a detailed look at the timeline, breaking it down month by month!

2022

August 2022

In August of 2022 I sent an email to my township supervisor inquiring about the path as part of my gold award project. At this point I had hoped to improve the bridges already there and make it more accessible to my community.

Near the end of the month I was waiting back to hear from who had access to the park path.

2023

May 2023

In May of 2023 we found out through an old survey about a conservation easement which would make the side near the road untouchable.

I went and took pictures of the path and checked the condition.

I completed my Go Gold project proposal and submitted it for approval.

June 2023

I completed edits and received approval for my project proposal and I began working on the project!

I made the beginning google form to send on social media and to put on posters around my neighborhood. I also made a linktree that a QR code I made can link to so I can share what I am working on easier.

July 2023

The township got the park path surveyed and I checked the results to assess what my next step would be and what was possible for the path.

I walked along the path with the Township supervisor, and my parents and looked at what the township is expecting now that we know that the path is not how we envisioned it at first. We also talked with one of the Homeowners next to the path where the survey shows his yard encroaches on. We talked about possible ways that we can fix this and what everyone's wants/hopes for the path would be. We also assessed possible trees that would need to go down and we got a better understanding of the conservation easement that runs along the end of the path (Acorn Ln. side). I drafted up an email about my thoughts for next steps.

August 2023

I finished making any last minute adjustments to the survey to send out and to place on the park path to begin tracking the data on how many people use the path on average and other questions that are included in the survey. I had the survey posted on the Townships Facebook page and began to share it using a QR code on the path as well.

I brainstormed more ideas to be able to work in the conservation easement area.

I went to the Township board meeting and spoke about my project to the board and I made bullet points and explained what my actions I hope to complete and what my needs from the Township are.

I went through files with Larkin Township to find key documents (easements, deeds, water main information, survey dated 1999) .

I did additional research on the conservation easements- contacted two local organizations Chippewa Nature Center and Little Forks.

I sent an email to Jacob Brand (Environmental quality analyst from EGLE) asking for information about the path and for a copy of the permit that we would need to make "improvements" to the path once he replied I found out what is typically allowed and not allowed in cases like this one and specifically conservation easements.

I also went to forest view natural area to see examples of what other people did with a wetland area and took pictures with Mandy and Jeremy Archbold.

September 2023

I wrote a letter to the Township board meeting laying out key questions, path improvement suggestions, and cost estimates and awaited response from the meeting with vital information regarding what path (surveyed or as is) will I work on fixing and what will the Townships Involvement look like.

I put together a PowerPoint for EGLE permit application (Pictures/descriptions/diagrams).

I worked on the EGLE permit (adding measurements, specific details that I had collected while previously walking the path, researched how much sand/dirt would be needed/ the costs, and the rest of the information needed to complete the rest of the entire application) Used Midland GIS (geographic information systems) to map out pathway and added the presentation to the permit along with pictures of the path while flooded.

October 2023

I completed EGLE permit and adjusted the permit as needed and submitted it.

I received feedback from Jacob Brand regarding the EGLE permit and was made aware of the changes that needed to be made to the permit to allow this project to move forward. After that I brainstormed shortly for next steps.

November 2023

I corrected the suggestions and made adjustments to what is possible for this project. (No longer using fill, no use of a culvert, and no vegetation removal/grading within the conservation easement). Once corrections were made I re-submitted the permit.

I contacted Jacob Brand at EGLE for permit update, asked additional questions and Jacob Brand walked the path.

December 2023

I went to the path after receiving approval from EGLE and double checked the marked trees to cut. (Remarked the trees) and took pictures of how the trail looks while flooded from the rain.

I started Larkin Charter Township Zoning permit and talked/brainstormed through next steps.

A neighbor removed a bridge that was determined now to be on his property, and we prepared the site for tree removal.

Trees were cut down with tree company (removed 3 trees and removed one large oak and stacked wood into piles)

My team and I moved the wood from the stacked piles on the trail and cleaned up brush along with cutting brush, spreading dirt and moving one of the ten foot bridges on top of a tree stump that was cut too high. We also picked up the donated metal stakes.

We took some measurements of the bridges to use to start compiling numbers for resources to start building the bridges and making the signs. On top of that we filled in the low spots where some brush used to be with dirt and replaced the survey stakes with permanent metal stakes that I used to string off the designated path more once it was safer to do so.

2024

January 2024

I compiled notes and the numbers to the township so that they were updated and knew that the next step may have to wait due to weather and conditions in the wetlands.

February 2024

I completed the zoning permit so that once better weather comes I would be able to build the bridges and I turned into the township.

March 2024

I planned out where I want to buy the signs, how many I would need, and a more accurate estimate for the bridge. Along with a more accurate overall budget.

April 2024

I turned in the zoning permit and got it accepted

May 2024

I figured out the rough numbers using the more accurate budget to sketched out different possibilities for the bridge to be constructed.

June 2024

BUILDING!! (these are daily entries of each day I spent working in June)

I determined the required materials, price checked them and organized onto a google sheet document, and finalized building plans and prepared to buy materials and go to the path.

I went to Home Depot and purchased all of the needed additional needed materials to make the bridge, loaded the materials into our truck and trailer and then unloaded wood/materials off at park trail.

I went to the park path and found the exact location where I wanted to place the bridge. After that we moved all of the wood from the park path entrance to the location of the bridge and began planning out and leveling our materials. After leveling and placement, we began building the bridge, additionally I figured out some of the trees on the path so I could continue to plan the nature signs and contact Chippewa Nature Center as soon as possible.

I called Consumers Energy and asked about being able to paint the pad mount box that is rusted. I found out that this was not possible considering that it goes against their rules.

My team and I went to the park path and continued building the bridge (screwing in the boards, leveling, placing the cement blocks), fixed the overgrown landscaping, planned out the road entrance to the park path and determined what brush would need to be removed there.

We went to the park path and continued building the bridge (screwing in the boards, leveling, placing the cement blocks), talked with the neighbor about the road entrance to the Park Path, called the supervisor and she came out to the path to look at the progress so I could update her.

I went to the park path to check the size ramps we would need to make the bridge flush with the ground, we also moved the previously broken and moved bridge by the neighbor. I planned out what would be necessary to be able to fix that bridge and use it in an area outside of the conservation easement. I also put some stabilizer pieces of wood between the concrete and bridge to help with the issue of the bridge bowing.

I went to the path and collected the 77 boards that were dropped off that came from the original bridge on that path that the neighbor had removed and taken apart.

I unloaded the 77 deck boards at my house and power washed each board individually and helped place the legs of the bridge into the ground on the path and prepared it for putting the deck boards back on.

I went to the path and began to place the power washed boards onto the set bridge base. After that I cleaned up brush and moved dirt while I continued working on building the old bridge back. Once the bridge was built I went to Home Depot and bought the rest of the materials that I needed to add crossbars to the new bridge that I built to improve its strength and buy materials to make the ramps for the new bridge so it was more accessible to bikers, wheel chairs and strollers. We went back to our house and cut all of the wood we had just bought and I went to the path and placed the crossbars. We finished cutting the ramps and trimmed brush near the road entrance of the park path. After the ramps were cut we began to lay them out and install them as I also screwed in the crossbars.

I went to the path and finished installing the other ramp and after that I loaded all of the brush that was placed to the side into our trailer so we can take it away. I also brought 6 buckets of black dirt from my house and put one bucket at the beginning and end of each bridge to help bikes go up the ramps and other bridges. We then placed more stakes into the ground and roped off the correct surveyed path so people began to use the correct path.

I went to the path and installed a small piece of ramped wood to make the edge of the bridge less harsh when going up and down the ramp.

I went and checked on the path after big rainstorm with Jeremy Archbold and took pictures.

Finalized the plants that I would identify for the signs to send to the Chippewa Nature Center for their advice.

July 2024

I went to the path and checked to see if it needed to be mowed by the Township and I took a video to share with the Township at their board meeting.

I sent an email to the Chippewa Nature Center about the nature signs and advice and I worked on compiling pictures and data for my website.

I went to the township meeting and showed them the before and after videos of the park path. I also informed them about what else has to be done to the path.

August 2024

I prepared the signs to be stronger and look nicer:

- I measured the signs and cut the same exact size pieces out of our extra left over pieces of wood and repeated for each sign.

- I found 7 posts that were similar in height then I sanded them and painted them with multiple coats for each post. I also found 4 smaller poster for the extra signs that we decided to put up.

- I measured and drilled the extra holes needed into the posts and painted the wood sign backings and signs another time. After that I collected the bolts, washers, nuts, and tools that I would need to take to the path the next day.

I went to the park path with all of my needed materials and my troop members and a few other helpers helped me to install my 5 main signs along with 4 smaller signs. I also recorded a video of the path and moved one of the extra smaller bridges to a different low spot. (I also printed out the QR codes and laminated then and taped them to orange temporary sticks so people could begin to take my survey)

I wrote emails to the township to ask them to post the survey to their website and their Facebook page along with adding the rest of my photos and videos to my website so that it could be ready to be published when I got enough survey results.

I added the missing bolt onto the sign that was missing one and checked up on the signs to make sure that they held up.

I worked on my final report and did last touches on my website and published it!

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