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Visitors to Sycamore Grove Park can read year-round as they hike the Magpie Loop Trail with the recent introduction of a permanent StoryWalk.
Located near the Wetmore Road entrance, display boards along the Magpie route feature stories with seasonal themes that are rotated every other month. These revolving titles are meant to encourage return trips to the park as well as library visits for more stories, according to an announcement from the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District.
Set up by the Livermore Public Library and LARPD, this StoryWalk joins hundreds of others posted across the world.
“The installation blends the joys of reading with the beauty of nature, offering an interactive outdoor experience for families, children, and park-goers of all ages,” LARPD officials said in a statement.
In summer 2022, LARPD and the Livermore library introduced a temporary StoryWalk at the park. The installation was a joint effort by Livermore librarian Caitlyn Lung and LARPD open space interpreter Christine Cardosi — the program was originally created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vt. and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
The temporary StoryWalk at Sycamore Grove was a resounding success, inspiring the creation of a permanent version, officials said.
Everlasting display boards were designed and installed in part by three Eagle Scouts, as guided by Cardosi and ranger Seth Eddings. By spring 2024, the permanent StoryWalk was ready for content.
In August, the first items on display were the top 18 entries from a poster-making contest hosted by the library. The artwork was inspired by the library’s summer reading theme of “Read, Renew, Repeat” and focused on nature and conservation.
The following month, a book about acorns took over the displays.
Currently on view is “We Are Branches” by Joyce Sidman, a nonfiction picture book that notes the importance and frequency of branches in nature.
“We’re thrilled to see this project come to life and offer a unique way to connect literacy, art, and nature,” Cardosi said in a statement. “It’s a testament to the power of collaboration between LARPD, the Livermore Public Library, and the local community.”
In addition to this interactive feature at the park, officials recently announced new restroom facilities on-site.
Located in the Veterans Park section of Sycamore Grove at the Ranger Station Picnic Area, the two unisex vault toilets are a low maintenance solution to park needs, according to LARPD officials.
“These restrooms will be an added convenience for the participants in our environmental education programs, which serve over 3,300 people annually,” LARPD recreation supervisor Joseph Benjamin said in a statement. “They’ll also support the many ranger-led weekend programs that take place throughout the year.”
