TCU’s “Public Health” nursing clinical course, in partnership with Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District (EMS ISD), is hosted a free community Walk the Trail event on March 23, 2024, at the Marine Creek Anderson Trail. The event celebrated the upcoming opening of the Marine Creek Trail Extension in April 2024 and featured an interactive trail walk, snacks, giveaways and information stations surrounding safety and the trail extension.
The Marine Creek Trail Extension is a 3.7-mile route that connects to the already existing trail around Marine Creek Lake in north Fort Worth.
After hearing about TCU’s previous public health initiative success, EMS ISD Superintendent, and TCU alumnus, Jim F. Chadwell, Ed.D., approached TCU Nursing for a partnership. This partnership brought the safety of pedestrians to the forefront of the district’s consciousness and the project was initiated to improve walkability to school and connectivity for the general public.
With a goal of providing safe passages and connectivity for pedestrians, the TCU students focused on a stretch of land between Chisholm Trail High School and W.E. Boswell High School. The 100-year-old flood plain, Marine Creek Reservoir, is an unwalkable area that affects numerous schools, community centers and parks. By extending the existing trail, students and members of the community would not only have a place to walk safely but also be encouraged to engage in physical activity outdoors.
COVID-19 caused a shift in TCU’s nursing program to temporarily pivot away from the trail project and help provide vaccinations to the Fort Worth community. Luckily, Connect 4 Safety, an initiative designed to encourage partnerships between neighborhoods, cities, schools and community organizations, was able to aid the project’s needs.
In January 2023, the City of Fort Worth approved the easement for the Marine Creek Anderson Trail Extension through the EMS ISD to connect with Cromwell Marine Creek Road.
“I mentioned in the meeting the evolution of this project and the work that the TCU community nursing classes did to bring this to the forefront,” Chadwell said. “Thank you again for all you have done to make our community better. It takes a while sometimes, but tenacity pays off.”
The event began inside the EMS ISD Jane Weaver and David Prince Discovery Lab Learning Center, located inside the Administration building, with access to the trail and the surrounding natural habitat for student exploration and learning.
TCU’s beloved mascot SuperFrog was also in attendance, joining community members as they walked the trail.
“TCU’s dedication to Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD underscores a commitment to fostering a safe environment for school-aged children by establishing a protective trail, while also encouraging both physical activity and community engagement,” said nursing student Mary Holmes ’24. “The benefits of these trails extend to everyone, aligning seamlessly with our broader initiatives in public health.”