Name the Beach Trail: Your Votes Wanted, Nov. 17

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and the City of Gearhart want your vote — on the name of a trail, that is. The newly-designed trail is adjacent to Gearhart Ocean State Recreation Area at Little Beach. Over the past two years, park officials have worked with City of Gearhart to create a new, single trail that accesses the beach to the north of the shorebird conservation area. It was designed to encourage shorebird nesting near the Necanicum Estuary. The list of possible names comes from entries dreamed up by children in grades 2-5 at Gearhart Elementary School. OPRD and Gearhart city officials thought that local schoolchildren would be the perfect trail “owners,” so they reached out to the principal and teachers at Gearhart Elementary School, and turned the whole thing into a contest. The kids came up with more than 30 names, which were narrowed down to 10. “It was great fun to meet with the kids and teachers at Gearhart Elementary,” said OPRD Visitor Services Coordinator Brian Fowler, who presented information about shorebird habitat in the classrooms, and led a nature walk along the new trail. “We challenged them to come up with names and they came through in a big way,” he said. “I have my favorite, but I’m not going to say what it is,” he added. “I’m just going to vote like everybody else.” The winner will receive a special memento from OPRD and the City, along with the fame that a new trail marker will bring. To vote on a name, go to http://oprdstewardship.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/name-the-trail. The survey will be open at least until December 1.