MARYSVILLE – Jenny Smith could have been a spokeswoman for the 120 people who attended the opening of the Ebey Waterfront Trail Saturday.

“It’s so exciting,” she said with a big smile. “It’s easy access and by the water. It’s a good investment.”

Smith also is glad because part of the trail in the future will go right by United Methodist Church, where she is the pastor. “I can exercise with my family,” she said, looking at husband Aaron, along with their children in a dual stroller.

Parks director Jim Ballew added that the turnout was great. “The village showed up today,” he said.

Ballew thanked the Tulalip Tribes for restoring the Qwuloolt Estuary.

“It gives us something to look at from the trail,” Ballew said.

Newly elected Tulalip Tribal Chairwoman Marie Zackuse said restoration efforts over 17 years will help the survival of salmon. She appreciates the educational and recreational opportunities the trail will make available.

“We raise our hands to the city for building the trail,” she said.

Mayor Jon Nehring thanked the Tulalip drummers and singers for blessing the trail. He said breaching the dike that had created 400 acres of dairyland has brought back an estuary alive with plants and animals.

He said opening up the trail is helping Marysville return to its past. Steamboats used to travel up and down Ebey Slough, so that is where housing and businesses sprang up in the late 1800s. “It returns public access to the waterfront,” Nehring said.

The event even brought a princess to town – Aurora Kesl of Lake Stevens, 6. The Miss Washington Junior Princess likes to hike so she thought it would be a good thing to do to honor Earth Day. Aurora loves to do things for other people. For her community service project, she makes cards for “kids in the hospital.”

Gloria Hirashima, the city’s chief administrative officer, said at Monday’s City Council meeting that she also went on the trail Sunday and saw about 50 people, with about 50 dogs.

“We’ve gained all kinds of supporters,” she said. “It’s an exciting step for the city.”

She said the Harborview housing development 20 years ago actually got the trail idea started. “It changed over the years. It was going to be on the top of the levee,” she said.

Hirashima said re-creating the estuary only made it better.

“We were flexible about the vision. The water aspect improved it so much,” she said.