New Escambia Westgate Boardwalk Opens, Thanks To Ascend Cares

November 29, 2021

Escambia Westgate School recently held the dedication celebration for the Westgate Nature Trail, a project donated by the Ascend Cares Foundation.

A previous boardwalk had deteriorated due to weather. It was removed and a new wider walkway with rails was installed for hundreds of feet into the wooded area behind the school.

Escambia Westgate School serves children with physical and intellectual disabilities. The boardwalk will allow children in wheelchairs to have access and enjoy the beautiful woodlands behind the school. Around 100 Ascend Cares volunteers worked on the boardwalk, totaling nearly 900 volunteer hours through the summer and fall months.

“First of all a big thanks to Westgate for letting us participate in this program,” said Ascend Performance Materials Pensacola site director Matthew Stewart. “Second, thanks to over 100 Ascend volunteers who contributed nearly 900 hours. This was  a five-month project that was a little more work than initially anticipated, but we persisted. We are so proud to support Westgate School and the amazing work they do, and we hope this boardwalk will be enjoyed by students and staff for years to come. It was a labor of love.”

For more photos, click to tap here.

The nature trail is on school property and is not open to the public.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “New Escambia Westgate Boardwalk Opens, Thanks To Ascend Cares”

  1. Local on December 3rd, 2021 8:09 am

    Escambia Westgate is one of the best places to find truly caring people. My son was a student there and I always felt he was safe and well cared for. I’ve heard it said that parents with special needs children are special, But I’ve always thought that those who CHOOSE to work with children who have disabilities are the special ones.
    Thanks Westgate for the memories and taking such good care of “my little boy all the time “.

  2. Alan on November 30th, 2021 3:23 pm

    It says right above where the Pics Begin “School property, Not open to the Public.

  3. Susie on November 30th, 2021 9:39 am

    It says it isn’t open to the public. It’s for children with disabilities and rightfully so. They don’t have to share it with the public and don’t have to worry about strange people being out there. They should be able to enjoy it peacefully. Very awesome of Ascend Cares.

  4. Cha on November 30th, 2021 9:26 am

    We live near by too. Glad to see the major improvements to bad it took years and that it was the ascend project to make them. When it could of gotten dine alot faster by the county. Theyd rather misuse the money on other projects that they get away with

  5. William Reynolds on November 29th, 2021 6:00 pm

    “It’s very much open to the public,”

    We have confirmed is is NOT open the public. It is on school property.

  6. Local on November 29th, 2021 3:47 pm

    @C.E. McGugin @ William Reynolds

    I’ve lived close by for years. There’s multiple entrances and the one shown above is in an open field connected to the school. It’s very much open to the public, people walk and jog there all the time. Dogs are also definitely allowed.

  7. William Reynolds on November 29th, 2021 10:37 am

    “Are dogs allowed?”

    It’s at Escambia Westgate School…not open to the public.

  8. C.E. McGugin on November 29th, 2021 10:27 am

    Are dogs allowed?

  NEfb