Hank Karner says he's walked the new 0.8-mile loop around retirement community Silver Maples of Chelsea a hundred times already.

The new path officially opened Thursday, complete with four benches, four informational signs, and directional signs — all part of the city’s growing number of community wellness paths.

It joins the properties of St. Mary Church, the Chelsea School District’s ball fields, the city sidewalks of Book, Wood and Flanders streets, Chelsea Community Hospital and Silver Maples.

Karner was one of six seniors who painted directional signs for the new path.

"I love to exercise and like to see people exercising. Walking is perfect for people who can’t do otherwise," Karner said.

The paths were made possible through a grant from the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation and partnerships with Silver Maples, Chelsea School District, Chelsea Community Hospital, St. Mary Parish, City of Chelsea, teacher Jeanne Caselli, and Eagle Scout candidate Matt Mills.

The paths include a loop around Silver Maples that connects the hospital, St. Mary Church and the Chelsea School District athletic fields. It has a .35-mile leg to the Chelsea Senior Center and a 1-mile leg to Main Street along the historic Interurban Rail line.

Silver Maples residents were an important part of the project, helping to measure the routes and create trail markers, said Shawn Personke, director of activities and public relations for Silver Maples, who wrote the grant for the path’s funding.

Although the wellness path was paved in the fall, signs and seating were added this spring by Eagle Scout candidate Mills, 17, a senior at Chelsea High School.

Mills said he spent about 6 months getting approvals, and planning and constructing the structures.

“They asked for four signs and I thought it would be nice to have one bench for every sign,” he said.

Mills, who is headed to Michigan State University in the fall, raised the money for all supplies, created a plan for the construction of four benches and four encased signs, which will hold maps and posters about wellness and path etiquette created by South Meadows School students in teacher Caselli's class.

“Chelsea comes together for projects that can benefit the entire community,” said Jerry Wilczynski, CEO of Silver Maples.

Chelsea Mayor Jason Lindauer agreed, calling the path “another step forward in a wellness initiative,” for not only current residents but also future ones.

He said that as mayor, on almost a weekly basis he is invited to events in which Chelsea residents come together for projects that benefit the entire community. Amy Heydlauff, executive director of the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation, said Silver Maples and the school district have also agreed to keep the paths clear year-round so residents can walk the path in all seasons.

Lisa Allmendinger is a reporter with AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page.