Canal Shores names hiking trail in honor of former parks director

(Editor’s Note: This story was reported by Duncan Agnew for the Evanston RoundTable, a neighboring independent newsroom. It was shared with The Record as part of an ongoing collaborative effort.)

The late Donald Wirth spent nearly a quarter century as Evanston’s director of parks, recreation and forestry from 1971 to 1995. He also devoted his free time as a board member of the Peter Jans Community Golf Course, which later became The Evans at Canal Shores.

Now, his name will adorn a newly completed hiking trail through Canal Shores. His family recently donated $100,000 to the course, which Canal Shores recently announced in a press release.

A group of volunteers known as the Lumberjacks built the trail, which extends a mile and a half on both sides of the canal starting near the Bahai House of Worship and is accessible to walkers. The Wirth family’s donation supported the effort, and the group also helps with controlled burns of invasive species and is in the process of planting 200 trees on the property.

“This contribution will help us further our ecological restoration efforts, fostering increased native plant and animal diversity and maintaining the natural beauty of the course for future generations,” said Megan Hart, ecology coordinator at Canal Shores.

Wirth died in late 2023, and the Evanston Golf Club in Skokie hosted a local memorial service last May.

Martha Logan, who worked under Wirth as an information specialist, said that “building the ecology center was a hallmark of his career.” He also pioneered school-based programs and the development of free opportunities in arts and sports for people of all ages.

Notably, in his capacity as a Canal Shores board member, he convinced the course to donate part of its land for the city to build the Chandler-Newberger Center on Central Street.

A ceremony dedicating the Don Wirth Hiking Trail is expected to be scheduled soon, according to Canal Shores.

“We are incredibly proud of everything our father did for Evanston and Canal Shores,” family member Shelley Wirth Williams said in the news release. “Supporting the ecology program and having this trail dedicated in his name is a perfect way to continue his legacy. He would have loved to see how this space is bringing people together.”