Young runner takes steps to improve park’s route

Silas FitzGerald knows the ins and outs of Crescenta Valley Park in La Crescenta. He’s run the 3-mile distance around the park, with pockets of rocky terrain and slight uphill areas, since he started running competitively in the sixth grade.

Since he joined Crescenta Valley High School’s cross-country team his freshman year, Silas, 17, has seen how the park’s tricky course can confuse runners.

“Some people don’t know where the miles are,” he said, noting the park lacks actual markers. Instead, runners and those exercising leisurely rely on park staples, such as a bridge and some boulders.

He wants to reduce the confusion.

Silas is raising funds to place two mile markers along the park’s 3-mile course. The markers will stand on two wooden posts embedded in the ground with cement. The first mile marker will be at a bridge crossing the Verdugo Wash and the second will be by large boulders on the so-called “Hindenburg Loop” at the rear of the park.

The fundraiser serves as an Eagle Scout project for Silas, a current Life Scout in Troop 317, based in Montrose. He’s looking to raise $1,200 for the project through an online Indiegogo campaign that will end Nov. 6.

In addition to the markers, the project will include installing a map of the park, all approved by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation this summer.

This is the first time the park will have permanent markers. Albert Gomez, assistant regional recreational director for the county’s parks and recreation, said park patrons have asked about installing distance markers over the years.

“We were really grateful for [Silas] to do this project. We’re always looking for partnerships for innovative ideas for the facility,” Gomez said.

The idea for mile markers came from a conversation Silas had with his cross-country coach, Mark Evans, two years ago. Evans suggested to Silas and his teammates, some of whom are also Boy Scouts, about leveling rocky terrain along the park’s course with extra dirt.

Silas hadn’t chosen his Eagle Scout project when he was a sophomore, but knew it had to be more than his coach’s starting point.

Crescenta Valley Park serves as more than a training ground for his teammates. The park also hosts the annual Staub/Barnes Cross Country Invitational, a statewide competition of cross-country teams that garners hundreds of high-school-aged runners.

At first, Silas was unsure about how much interest the project would gain, noting the uncertainty of needing mile markers. So far, the fundraiser has garnered close to $500 in donations since launching last week. Fellow troop members, family and friends have lent their support, offering to help Silas install the markers and sign next month.

“This is going to be bigger than I thought. The interest validated this as a solid project,” he said, adding that, as a Boy Scout, he knew his Eagle Scout project had to have a community impact. “This isn’t just for the cross-country team, and future generations of cross-country runners. This is for anyone at the park who wants to see how far they’re going.”

To donate, visit www.indiegogo.com and search for “Crescenta Valley Park XC Course Map.”