Woods Road Trail To Be Extended Earlier, Thanks To Muskego Youth

Robbie Kanelos, a 17-year-old senior at , brought a request forward to the Parks and Recreation Board's meeting on Monday night to move the construction of a walking path along Woods Road up on the schedule of budget items.

Previously, the trail's construction was on the budget plan for the year 2014, but having nearly been struck by a bus as he walked home from school, Kanelos and his family decided to take action. 

Kanelos, who is visually impaired and can't see much more than a few feet ahead, was chosen for a leadership camp for the disabled, according to his grandmother, Joanne Morency.  Apparently Kanelos has a knack for it. Gathering 126 signatures from residents along Woods Road to back up his request, Kanelos explained that many students use Woods Road to walk to school directly or to their bus stops. 

Recent improvements have been completed at the intersection of Woods Road and Racine Avenue to accommodate pedestrians, including walk signals and push buttons to enable them, and marked lanes for crosswalks.  Kanelos' family and other residents felt that it would just make sense to then connect a trail that ended near Quietwood Drive west to Racine Avenue to accommodate those walking to the high school.

The Parks Board agreed, and at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday night, a straw poll to move up the trail construction was also unanimous.

"What makes us so proud is that he doesn't let his handicap slow him down," Morency said of her grandson, who is also a member of the Muskego High School Wrestling team.

"He may not be the best, but he's out there trying," she said.