"We did not go in there with a bulldozer and take everything down,” Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said. “I mean this is the least invasive thing we could do."
The mayor talking about the freshly made hunter's ridge pathway. It may seem like a little gravel pathway but it's causing a big ruckus for people who live nearby. They're upset the city didn't tell everyone in the neighborhood it was being made.
"I think the city should've been more communicative with the residents," Lawrence Franklin said.
Franklin has lived on Lansing's south side for 29 years with a house that backs up to the woods. He loves the peace and quiet.
"I have deer, turkeys that walk up to my property,” Franklin said. “I feed them each and every day."
He says the trail was built without him knowing and it's close to his backyard. Now he's concerned that people are going to be using the trail and they might mess with his yard. That's why he's thinking about building a fence.
"Yeah,” Franklin said. “I think I will. I really hate to because I get such a nice view."
A meeting was held to address concerns from neighbors. Some of which were fears of people riding dirt bikes or ATVs on the trails. The mayor says they'll make sure people are using the trail for what it was meant for: walking and riding bikes.
"We're going to make sure the rules are posted,” Mayor Bernero said. “We're going to make sure the rules are enforced. And we'll rely on the citizens and the neighbors to tell us what they see and what's going on."
The pathway is six miles long and connects three parks together, allowing easier access for everyone, that's just one reason the mayor's happy about the project.
"It's not enough to just hold great land,” Mayor Bernero said. “You want to provide access to all of your citizens."
