Read a story while you stroll at Oregon Park West.
“It has always been about promoting early literacy, physical activity, and family time together in nature. Its success is due to partners, partners that understood from very early on how this idea could be used to bring a fun and educational family activity to their community.”
Anne Ferguson, founder of the StoryWalk®
What is a StoryWalk®?
A StoryWalk® is a book that has been disassembled, laminated and presented page by page. This presentation promotes reading and exercise on a trail, bike path, or in store windows. As you stroll, you are directed to the next page in the story.
As a center for community enrichment and lifelong learning, it is the mission of Oregon Public Library District to provide resources to support the information and recreation needs of area residents.
The Library District realizes that the way it serves the community is continually evolving to meet ever-changing lifestyles. After reading about StoryWalks® all over the country, Oregon Public Library decided to provide this innovative opportunity to the Oregon community.
Where would the StoryWalk® be located?
Oregon Park West seemed the perfect location. Reading stations could be spaced out on the path to present books to park visitors who were enjoying the natural beauty and amenities of Oregon Park West.
The Oregon Park District signed on as a partner and agreed to provide the location. They also offered to install and maintain the walk stations. The Oregon Public Library District supplies all of the reading material; changing out the StoryWalk® on a regular schedule.
How is the StoryWalk® funded?
With the location determined, the next step was to secure the funds to make Oregon’s StoryWalk® a reality. Each opened page of a story requires a station for presentation as well as protection from the elements. The Library contacted E.D. Etnyre Company, a vital part of the Oregon community since 1898, about the possibility of an Etnyre Foundation Grant to finance this array of StoryWalk® stations.
We submitted our grant application in April 2020, and we received a generous financial award to purchase twenty stations for the StoryWalk®.
A number of books that have been shared on the StoryWalk® were graciously donated by George and Kathy Bouska, long-time residents and teachers of Oregon.
