West Point dedicates trail section to former mayor

WEST POINT – Former West Point Mayor Paul Walker has another legacy of love in his name in the community.
The community came out Tuesday evening for another dedication to the 27-year mayor of the city. A trail connector that was constructed as part of the new Lee County trail around Pollmiller Park connects the park trail with South Park.
A five-foot hunter green and yellow sign on black poles designating the section of trail the Paul D. Walker Memorial Trail adorns the south side of the curvy trail out of the county park.
Bess Walker, the former mayor's wife, thanked the community for the dedication.
“I want to thank the people of West Point, the surrounding communities, and Lee County. He was proud of them all,” she said.
“He always said how much people meant to him in this town and that people were always willing to step in and help out.”
She said she found a bunch of yellow note pads with her husband's speech notes on them. Walker said she read through them and almost every one of them commented about living in West Point and how much he appreciated the people of the community.
Mayor Joe Loving said Walker deserved the honor for improving the community parks.
City Administrator Randy Welding said the project was a collaboration with Lee County Conservation.
“It was always going to be a part of the project,” Welding said. “But we were looking hard for grants to help pay for it.”
The city ended up footing the bill for that part of the project. They also are working on grants now, including a REAP grant, to extend a south portion of trail to 8th Street where a sidewalk currently connects to the trail. The new project would match the new trail in width and surface.
Lee County Conservation Director Heather Huebner was also on hand for the dedication. She said the LCC was happy to be a part of helping bring a nicer section of trail from the park to South Park where so many West Point residents come for activities.