A project that took several entities to come together recently came to fruition.

The Greene County Conservation Board, Greene County Community Foundation, John Deere in Paton, Greene County Secondary Roads and the City of Paton teamed up to create a 20-acre walking trail. Recently retired Greene County Conservation Director Dan Towers says four years ago, the conservation department received the 20-acre donation from Bill and Vesta Dixon on the east side of Paton. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the decision was made to turn the wooded area into a walking trail, with the idea that employees from nearby businesses of John Deere and Bauer Built could utilize the trail.

Towers describes one obstacle that they had to overcome.

“Most of the area is across the creek. So it involved putting in a pedestrian bridge across Buttrick Creek there. It’s going to be a pretty neat area. I think with all of those workers on break, and lunch hour, and then the town people, I really think they will use it.”

Towers notes funding for the bridge came from two $30,000 donations and grants, from the Greene County Community Foundation and the John Deere Foundation. The County Secondary Roads crew helped with preparation for the bridge and did the finish work on the project, while the City of Paton installed a concrete path from the downtown area out to the walking trail. The 20-acre area is named the Vesta and Bill Dixon Wildlife Area.