THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 21, 1996 TAG: 9602210620
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
DATELINE: GATESVILLE LENGTH: Short : 25 lines
Canoeists at Merchant Millpond State Park are likely to see majestic cypress trees, turtles sunning on logs - and state prisoners toting lumber.
Up to 14 inmates of the Gates Correctional Center are building 18 foot bridges along the park's 10 miles of hiking trails.
Among the inmate-built bridges is a 25-foot span over a marshy area.
``This is like having a magic wand and being able to wave it and get all the work done,'' said Park Ranger Floyd Williams, who directs the Gates crew.
``The amount of work is monumental, and if the small staff here had to do it, by the time we finished the last bridge, it would be time to start over,'' Williams added.
The Gates Correctional Center's work crews have also cleared tires in Chowan County and are painting a building at the town of Winton's wastewater treatment plant. by CNB