Local Boy Scout to build sidewalk at Nolan Elementary

Ethan Fell stands in front of the path he is working to turn into a sidewalk for students walking to Nolan Elementary School. (Contributed photo)
Ethan Fell stands in front of the path he is working to turn into a sidewalk for students walking to Nolan Elementary School. (Contributed photo)

By the time Nolan Elementary School opens its doors next fall, students living nearby will have a safer way to get to and from the building.

Local Boy Scout and Signal Mountain Middle/High School student Ethan Fell, 15, has been working with town officials and construction personnel to build a sidewalk connecting nearby subdivision Dogwood Grove to the school.

The sidewalk, expected to be complete in August, will stretch from the intersection of Sam Powell Drive and North Shackleford Ridge Road and lead to an existing sidewalk closer to the school. It will serve to replace the short, grassy path students and parents have been walking two times a day, five days a week since Dogwood's development in 2009.

photo Pathway from Dogwood Grove to Nolan Elementary School.
photo Pathway from Dogwood Grove to Nolan Elementary School.
photo Ethan Fell

"We're getting more people in that subdivision that walk their kids to school," said Loretta Hopper, director of public works, adding that the town will also be restriping the crosswalk in that area. "I agreed with Ethan that it was a good project."

Though Hopper said the department has received no formal complaints about the current path, Ethan, a Nolan alumni, said he has seen how difficult the walkway is for pedestrians to trek each day.

The path, he noted, is on a corner where cars often drive by - a continual hazard for younger children - with numerous obstacles like ditches, natural debris and equipment boxes belonging to the school. And the conditions only worsen in inclement weather.

"It was pouring rain, and I saw these families and I'm like, 'Wow. Someone really needs to do something about that,'" said Ethan.

Nolan Principal Shane Harwood said the school has been trying to address the need for some time now. The administrative staff worked with the former town manager to explore a state grant to install sidewalks near neighborhood schools. With only eight school-aged children living in and around Dogwood, however, Nolan does not qualify.

Ethan decided to take on the service project as part of a requirement to achieve Eagle Scout rank, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America.

"We are so excited about Ethan's project and are so appreciative of his vision and all of the hard work he has already put in vetting the project," Harwood said. "One can quickly see so many components of the Scout law, oath, motto and slogan as he continues to be helpful, kind and prepared in doing 'a good turn' for the families of the Dogwood Grove area and Nolan Elementary."

So far, Ethan has already taped off the area labeled for future construction and is gathering volunteers to help him clear foliage like small trees, branches and leaves, which he anticipates will be completely cleared in the next month.

The Boy Scout has been working with the town's Public Works Department and the Hamilton County Department of Education to identify applicable town regulations and ensure everything is up to proper standards. He has already spoken with architects across the community, and has also had conversations with Andrew Hausler of Derthick Henley & Wilkerson Architects, who assisted with the construction of Nolan and SMMHS.

"Obviously, I have no training or knowledge in this sort of department," Ethan said. "I'm just a high school kid who decided to do this because he thought it would be good for the community. So I'm taking in as much knowledge as I can from everyone."

Though he may not be able to directly participate in the work due to safety regulations and lack of experience, he plans to continue facilitating and coordinating the effort, raising funds as needs arise and enlisting volunteers, including himself, for other nonprofessional work.

"I'm so thankful for everyone who has helped me already," Ethan said. "So many people have just contributed to this process, and I'm very pleased about that."

The path between Nolan and Dogwood is not the only school walkway of concern for those on Signal. Local resident Anne Hagood has spoken out at past Town Council meetings about the need for greater safety precautions for Nolan students as traffic increases along Shackleford Ridge Road.

Her comments referred specifically to the seven single-family residences GreenTech Homes is looking to add along the road, but with other development coming to the Shackleford Ridge corridor, such as the 199 homes planned for coming subdivision Wild Ridge at Fox Run, Hagood said the time to look at sidewalks and bicycle paths for the area is now.

"If we can plan ways to put in the sidewalks as the development is done, or even prior to it, it will be beneficial to the students in terms of safety," Hagood said.

Though nothing is concrete just yet, Hopper said town officials have been looking for ways to address the need for sidewalks and walking paths, not just on Shackleford Ridge, but throughout the entire town.

"That's something we're always looking into - adding more sidewalks and walking paths," she said.

Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com.

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