There will be a ribbon cutting to open the, “A Walk in the Park,” routes in Avenue A Park. The celebration will be at the Community Building near Main and Avenue A, beginning at 6:30 p-m, on Third Thursday, May 16.

Two walking courses are mapped, and both are ADA accessible, and do not require walkers to cross any streets. The idea is to promote increased use of the park as a safe downtown exercise facility for use at lunchtime by downtown workers and during the day by downtown visitors. Families with children can use the trail for a family outing.

The sculpture, “Rachel,” the People’s Choice award winner for the 2012 Downtown Hutchinson SculptureWalk, will be located so it’s visible from the walking trail. The project started as a way to promote active living for downtown Hutchinson employees and visitors.

New graphics on the community building windows draw attention to the pedestal displaying the map of the upper and lower walking trails. Walkers who complete the lower trail during the “Walk In the Park” celebration will be given coupons for ice cream treats at the Fraese Drug Store.

The Downtown Hutchinson Design Committee, in collaboration with the Hutchinson Parks Department, the Hutchinson Recreation Commission and the Hutchinson Community Foundation, have spearheaded the project.