Cooperstown News Bureau

SPRINGFIELD - George Rutler says he wants Springfield town residents to demonstrate their support for building a walking path around the town's community center.

Rutler, former president of the town's historical society, said he believes many residents in the town are looking for a good place to walk and want the town to build a 1,900 foot path.

"I think it could be a very good thing for people's health," he said.

Last year, he designed such a path and prepared an application for a state grant of $10,000 with the help of state Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, he said.

When Rutler presented his idea to town board members last year, they seemed supportive, he said.

Recently, however, the town board has grown more skeptical and told him it wants him to show that people in the town would really use the walking path, Rutler said.

Town Supervisor Tom Armstrong said Thursday that he and other town board members don't want to create the asphalt walkway unless it would be well-used.

"I put in for the grant, but that doesn't mean that when it comes, if it comes, we're going to take it," Armstrong said.

"I don't have any problem with having a walking path that people are going use," he said. "Of course, if they're going to take their dogs along and make a mess, I don't think that would be very good.

"I told Mr. Rutler if he had 15 or so people who'd use it, then fine, but the town board's looking for more," Armstrong said. "My position is that if the residents want the path, I want the path, and if they don't, then I don't."

A few years ago, the town decided to keep the community center open in the winter for walking, and a number of people took advantage of this, at first, Armstrong said.

Eventually, only one man regularly walked inside the building, and he has since died, Armstrong said.

The town supervisor also noted that the town will have to pay to maintain the walking path, even if Seward obtains state tax dollars to build it.

Rutler has asked that people who want the walking path call him at (315) 858-2151, write to him at P.O. Box 397, Springfield Center, NY 13468, or attend the town board meeting on the second Monday of each month to make their wishes known.

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Tom Grace can be reached at grace@ascent.net or (607) 547-2431.