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Wildwood names trails in honor of citizens

By Adam Lampel

The city of Wildwood has been developing a multiple-use trail system to accommodate the active lifestyle of many of its residents.

As the system continues to grow, it is becoming time to start thinking about how these trails will be identified, and more specifically, what they will be called.

Wildwood Director of Planning and Parks Joe Vujnich recently addressed the Wildwood City Council and stated that the prevailing thought is to identify the major trail corridors by physical or some other types of features and designate sections of them in memoriam or in honor of someone.

Although the city has yet to develop a formal process for naming the major trails, the city will be designating a portion of the trail system as the John LeCave Memorial section.

The city of Wildwood actually committed to this name in 1997 after John LeCave was killed while riding his bicycle along Hwy. 109. Now that this portion of the trail is near completion, the time has come to finalize the arrangements.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) also recently informed the city that this portion of Hwy. 109 where the trail exists will be resurfaced and given a 4-foot wide shoulder this fall, further motivating the city to act now.

This section of the trail is known as the Wildwood Greenway, which will remain its official name, but will be referenced as the John LeCave Memorial Section in several places.

The memorial also will encompass a rest area that will be constructed near the Rockwood Valley Middle School, to which the Rockwood School District has granted permission.

The rest stop will be designed by local architect Bob Teller, who had arrived on the scene shortly after LeCave was struck by the vehicle.

The recommendations for the memorial that were presented to the City Council on April 28 were drafted after conferring with LeCave’s family regarding the city’s original commitment.

In a 1997 edition of the Wildwood Gazette, former Mayor Ron Marcantano offered the following:

“As Mayor, and as a concerned citizen, I checked the information and discovered that I knew John LeCave - had sat in his office a few months ago, talking about Boy Scouts, camping and Wildwood. John loved his new hometown, and expressed that repeatedly during our conversation.”

The commitment from the former City Council panel and Marcantano at the time of the accident will ensure that LeCave will always be a part of Wildwood.

“In the short time that I knew him, it was clear that he had a great love for the outdoors that was only surpassed by his love for his family,” said Marcantano of LeCave. “I regret that I couldn’t get the trail completed and dedicated to John while I was still in office and I truly thank the staff and council members who didn’t forget or give up.”