Danbury Approves Second Born Learning Trail

The City Council approved a plan Tuesday to build a second Born Learning trail in Danbury with the second next to the Rogers Park playground.

The trail consists of a sidewalk lined with signs. Each sign tells children to do something in English. The words are short and colorful, such as Jump, Hop and Twist. The idea is a child learns a few English words while walking on the path with their father or mother.

The project is being donated to Danbury by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and the United Way.

"Boehringer is working with the United Way, and it expressed an interest in offering up the volunteers and the expense," said .

Kaplanis said the city already has a Born Learning trail inbetween Mill Ridge Primary School and the former Mill Ridge Intermediate School next door. A person who parks in the lot to the left of Mill Ridge Primary can find the Born Learning trail by walking out of the lot toward the Intermediate school. The path starts where the lot ends.

City Council member Duane Perkins asked during Tuesday's meeting where the new trail will be in Rogers Park and how long the completed trail is.

It's about 30 feet long, and it will be located east of the existing Playground in Rogers Park on Lions way. Kaplanis said if a person stands facing the playground with the Public Works garage at their back, the new trail will be on the right side of the playground following the existing sidewalk that heads into the park alongside the playground. (See photograph.)