Shovel by shovel, volunteers laid nearly a mile extension of the Leyden Creek Trail Aug. 3.

Community members joined members of the Arvada stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in their 12th annual community service day Aug. 3, to continue last year’s project of building the Leyden Creek Trail near 80th Avenue off of Indiana Street.

“We appreciate what they’re doing to improve our quality of life out here,” said Councilman-at-Large Bob Fifer.

After this year’s project, the trail now extends about 1.5 miles through open space.

It’s just our way to give back to the community,” said LDS member Amber Johnson. “I think it’s a great way to not only serve the community, but if you look there are kids of all ages here, it’s just awesome to see even the littlest ones out here. We have a family section for our families to teach kids to serve and give back.”

Using wheelbarrows and shovels, volunteers moved 510 tons of dirt in one day to build the trail.

“It’s thanks to these willing volunteers to get a project like this under way and completed,” said District 2 Councilman Mark McGoff. “It wouldn’t happen otherwise.”

McGoff said the eventual plan for the trail is to extend it further on the open space and into the nearby neighborhoods to give people more opportunities to get outdoors.

The city will also put a bridge from the old park at Garrison Street onto the trail to connect two parts of the trail separated by a small dip in the terrain.

The Leyden Creek Trail also features an historical marker on the east end honoring the memory of 11 miners killed in a fire in a coal mine located on the property in 1910.

Nowadays, the old coal mine is used to store millions of gallons of the city’s emergency water supply, said District 4 Councilman Bob Dyer. While doing shovel work on the trail last year, LDS member Lee Humrich said volunteers found coal on the east end of the trail near the mine opening.

“What we like as volunteers is it leaves a legacy,” Humrich said. “It’s something that adds to the community. They can come out here anytime they want and say I helped build this trail.”

Though it was a warm day, volunteers happily spent part of their Saturday serving the community.

“I love it,” said LDS member Amanda Sarbin, who volunteered with her husband and two young children. “We did the other side last year and it was really fun. It’s really fun being out here with friends and hanging out with everybody and doing service. It was something I was brought up with. It makes me feel good and it makes things nicer. I want to teach my kids that service is not something they do just when people need help, but it’s something they do just because they do it. I want them to grow up being the kind of person that will go out and help people.”