Dear Editor,

About the time I started running at Goose Pond Park last year, the city decided to build a sidewalk connecting Goose Pond Park to City Park.

I’m guessing the path is about a half mile long, and the work included concrete, labor, restructuring the landscape, digging a path under the bridge, a new drain pipe and fencing. My first thought was, “All that for a sidewalk? What a waste of money! I mean, how nice of them to do something like that just for me—I was getting kind of tired of running around in circles all the time—but that money would have been more wisely spent somewhere else!”

Of course, as my husband pointed out, they could have received a grant to fund the project. I never checked into this; it was easier just to share with my family numerous mini speeches on the proper use of taxpayer money. Like that was going to change anything.

Guess what? I was wrong. Regardless of who paid for it, the sidewalk has proven to be a lovely addition to the city! Since its completion, I have seen numerous families out spending time together: people running and walking, a dad and son riding their bikes, friendships strengthened and memories in the making.

One night, there was an elderly lady using her walker (can’t think of any other place around here she could have done that—well, maybe Walmart). When we passed her, with a smile on her face, she said, “This is so nice, isn’t it?”

As I was running with my best friend on that cool, spring evening, as the sun set and the beautiful moon took its place, as we ran past all the cheering crowds on the baseball fields of this quaint small town, I had to agree with her! Very nice indeed!

Strengthening families and people is just as important as strengthening an old road—not wasteful at all in my book!

Julia Davis, Clanton