“We had a great time,” said Shanti Toll, who organized the event with his wife, Coreen. “Considering the snow, people generally enjoyed it.”
“It was very rewarding,” Coreen Toll said, adding that it was “good exercise.”
The volunteer work was done in concert with Colorado Springs Parks, which oversees Red Rock. City Parks Development Manager Chris Lieber had designed the trail in keeping with the Red Rock Canyon master plan.
The master plan refers to the path as the “Contemplative Trail,” a .7-mile segment that will be open only to people on foot. The Tolls are hoping it will come to be known as the Garden of the Goddesses Trail - reflecting their wish to honor feminine contributions to the region and society.
The volunteers included several experienced local trail-builders, as well as several for whom the work was a new experience.
Also present was Bright Hawk, a drummer from Boulder who had been invited down by a club member. She played a djembe (an African drum) and sang near the work areas.
The May 1 trail-building efforts will not be immediately noticeable to trail-users. In keeping with common practice, the work took place in the middle of the planned trail route through Red Rock's Sand Canyon area. Not till all the rest is done will the trail be opened at the ends.
The group has three more workdays scheduled this year, with the next planned Sunday, May 22. For more information, call 634-1810 or send an e-mail to coreentoll@hotmail.com
Westside Pioneer article