Over the boardwalk — in Howland

HOWLAND — A new Howland Township attraction is giving many people the chance to see fall in a new light.

The six-month-old Mosquito Creek Boardwalk is a hit with nature lovers and exercise enthusiasts.

Still, some Howland residents said that while attention has grown, more people should be enjoying the boardwalk.

“People don’t recognize what a gem there is in the middle of this community,” said township Administrator Darlene St. George, who herself spends leisure time there.

The boardwalk, stretching 729 feet south of Howland Park, was constructed amid more than 100 acres of wetlands purchased in 2004. With a state matching grant picked up by the township, the project was completed in May 2008 at a cost of around $350,000.

“There was skepticism at first about what we were doing and why,” St. George said of the plans to construct the boardwalk in the middle of preserved land. “Now they no longer think of it as swamp land. People appreciate its beauty.”

Read the full story in Monday’s Vindicator and on vindy.com