Hartford celebrates grand opening of StoryWalk at city park

Visitors to a Hartford park now can enjoy a story while walking along a city trail.

It’s the first StoryWalk for Siouxland Libraries, which celebrated the grand opening today at Turtle Creek Park, 303 E. Railroad St.

The StoryWalk features pages from a children’s book displayed on 20 reading stations along 860 feet of the trail. Visitors can enjoy a complete story while getting exercise, making it a fun and engaging activity for all ages. A new story will be featured each month, with “Unicorn NOT Wanted” by Fred Blunt kicking off things.

“Introducing the StoryWalk shows Hartford’s dedication to increasing access to literature and library services throughout the county,” said Alysia Boysen, senior librarian at Siouxland Libraries. “This StoryWalk provides a wonderful opportunity for adults and children to combine literacy skills and healthy exercise.”

The project is a collaborative effort from Siouxland Libraries, the city of Hartford and the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce.

Local child care centers and community members attended the grand opening and enjoyed crafts from Knotty Gnome Variety & Salvage and a visit from the bookmobile after the ceremony.

“The city of Hartford is pleased to be the first community in Minnehaha County to offer the StoryWalk to our residents and visitors,” Mayor Arden Jones said. “We have had a great long-term relationship with Siouxland Libraries and are thrilled to embark on this next step. Come to Hartford to take a walk on our StoryWalk!”

The Hartford branch library at 119 N. Main Ave. has served the community since 1960 and was the first in the Siouxland Libraries system to offer expanded access after business hours. The library has seen a 28 percent increase in users since doubling in size last year.

The StoryWalk is open during park hours. For information, visit siouxlandlib.org.