Thanks to the efforts of Oxford High School senior Trevor Dean, visitors to the Leonard Nature Park now have a dry and sturdy spot from which to enjoy the scenery and view a variety of wildlife.
Dean, a 17-year-old Life Scout with Troop 156 based in Shelby Township, spent more than three months building a 120-square-foot wooden observation deck overlooking a pristine wetland on the park’s north side. The deck includes a universally-accessible ramp that’s nearly 18 feet long and 5 feet wide.
‘I think it’s wonderful,? said Cheri Arsenault, co-chair of the Leonard Nature Park Committee. ‘I think it’s a great asset to the park. I’ve already seen people standing on it, watching the birds in the marsh.?
Dean constructed the deck as his Eagle Scout service project. Work began in late July and wrapped up Nov. 8.
‘It turned out pretty close to how I had hoped,? he said.
Dean lives in Oxford Township now, but between the ages of 11 and 15, Leonard was his home.
‘It feels good knowing I was able to do something like this for the community,? he said. ‘I wanted to do something nice for the community and I felt like (this was it). I just want people to enjoy it.?
Purchased by the village in May 1988, the 3.1-acre park is located just south of the Polly Ann Trail on the east side of Forest St. (Rochester Rd.). It was originally a stockyard back in the days when Leonard had a railroad running through it.
With its mixture of wooded and wetland areas, it’s a passive park that offers visitors a quiet, peaceful place to appreciate nature. A woodchip-lined trail runs through the park.
?(The observation deck) is close to where the nature trail begins, so people don’t have to go all the way back into the park in order to access it,? Arsenault noted.
The deck is visible from the road.
‘From our perspective, we wanted something that we could keep an eye on because we are concerned about vandalism,? Arsenault explained.
Standing on the observation deck, visitors are able to spy everything that frequents the wetland from red-winged blackbirds and blue herons to white-tailed deer.
‘I really like it. I think it’s cool,? Dean said. ‘Three deer came across while we were working (one day).?
The deck has a railing around it for safety purposes, but it does not contain any benches or chairs. ‘It’s bring-your-own-seat,? Arsenault said.
The entire deck project cost approximately $2,100.
Dean financed it using a $500 donation from Cooper-Standard Automotive, a global automotive supplier with a plant located in Leonard, plus contributions from residents and a whole bunch of returnable bottles and cans.
Family, friends, Leonard residents and scouts from Troop 156 all pitched in to help Dean make the deck a reality.
He feels like he learned a lot from the experience.
‘It taught me how to manage money (and) how to manage my time,? he said. ‘Planning was the biggest thing. There’s a lot of planning to (do) before you actually start.?
When he’s not busy scouting, Dean is very involved at OHS as a member of the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams, an alto saxophone player in the marching band and a member of the robotics team.
He also belongs to the Ray Community 4-H Club. ‘I raise lambs,? Dean said.
Dean was recently accepted to Oakland University. He plans to study either mechanical engineering or agricultural engineering.
‘I’m into building and designing, figuring out how things work,? Dean said.