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Triangle Greenways Council Newsletter |
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November-December 2003
CARRBORO, CHAPEL HILL CITIZENS TO VOTE ON MILLIONS FOR GREENWAYS AND SIDEWALKS
On Election Day, November 4, 2003, Carrboro voters will vote on a bond referendum to build sidewalks and greenway trails in Carrboro. Many streets in Carrboro do not have sidewalks, and over the years, citizens have requested that additional sidewalks and greenways be constructed. If approved, the Town will be authorized to borrow up to $4.6 million for sidewalks and greenway trails construction. For more information, see http://www.ci.carrboro.nc.us/Bond/default.htm. (Submitted by Dale McKeel) In Chapel Hill, voters will consider bonds of $5.6 million for sidewalks and related projects, $5 million for greenways, and $2 million for open space. These are part of a $29.4 million bond referendum, the largest in the Town’s history. For more information, see http://www.investinchapelhill.org/greenways.htm.
(Submitted by Bill Webster) RALEIGH VOTERS APPROVE PARKS AND GREENWAYS BOND of Raleigh's $47 million Parks and Greenways Bond on October 7. The bond will provide for 19 miles of Greenways in 11 different projects. Significant toward the Triangle Greenways Council's goal of a "Circle the Triangle" greenway, the bond would fund completion of the greenways grid from Falls Lake to the Art Museum and from Umstead Park to the Neuse River. This vital link would run from the Neuse River Dam to the CASL (Capitol Area Soccer League) soccer fields and from downtown Raleigh to the Centennial Campus. More information can be found at http://www.raleighparks.com/greenway.html#green TRIANGLE GREENWAYS UPDATE public forums to consider possible changes to the Town's Greenways Master Plan. The first meeting, in October, concentrated on the proposed Wilson Creek Trail. Wilson Creek flows on the east side of Hwy 15-501, south of Morgan Creek. Future meetings will address other trails, although the Commission will take comments about any aspect of the Greenways Master Plan at any time. The second forum is scheduled for December 17, 7:30 pm at the Hargraves Center. Please contact Bill Webster, Recreation Planner/Project Administrator, if you have any questions. (968-2787 ext. 214; e-mail bwebster@townofchapelhill.org) Apex The Town of Apex is currently working with Haden-Stanziale of Wilmington, NC on design and construction documents for the completion and retrofitting of approximately 4 miles of greenway that will eventually connect the Downtown area to a proposed 100acre+ Nature Park. They are also working with Wake County on a future connection from the Nature Park to the American Tobacco Trail. In conjunction with this project, the Town is also working with H/S on the actual design and construction documents for the proposed Nature Park and design /construction documents for two smaller legs of greenway that will connect various neighborhoods to shopping centers and Downtown.
final stages of approving the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from Blowing Rock (US Highway 321 to NC Highway 18) - a total of about 55 miles. The flag line has been up and studied for quite some time now. The National Park Service is now conducting an archaeology study on this 55-mile segment and should be the final study before trail building can commence. If interested, please contact Wendell Burton at (336) For complete information on the NCMST, please go to http://www.ncmst.org/ Completes MST Thru-Hike the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, has completed a nearly1,000 mile hike along North Carolina's Mountains to Sea Trail from Clingmans Dome to Jockey's Ridge State Park. The trek took nearly two months. After a week of rest, Jeff recalled his journey in an e-mail to the editor as “a dream come true for me, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to hike across NC. It was certainly an adventure of a lifetime.” More excerpts: “Several people have asked what my favorite area of the MST was. I would have to say my favorite area is from Bald Knob to Table Rock in the Linville Gorge area -- it was extremely scenic. As you know, the trail is half footpath and half NC-DOT bike routes. I did not know exactly what to expect while hiking the road, so I was glad that, overall, they were scenic with the lots of farmland and little traffic…. Some have also asked if I was scared of the bears or people. To be honest, dogs gave me the most problems. I had a day hiking through eastern NC where I was almost attacked by a dog. If I did not have my hiking poles, I'm pretty sure I would have been dinner….. I realized I purchased too much food, so it looks like I will be eating crackers and cheese at lunch for several moreweeks......just can't wait! I have just about had my fill of crackers and cheese.” Jeff extends his thanks to everyone who supported him during his hike across the state: “Several people picked me up, gave me food, and invited me into their homes for a night of sleep. I will be paying back lots of favors over the next years!” You can see Jeff’s from-the-trail reports and photos on his Trail Journals website (www.trailjournals.com/jeffbrewer). ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? When the American Tobacco Trail is completed in the next few years, it could provide economic opportunities in the communities it serves. That’s been the experience of the nationally renowned KATY Trail, a 225-mile rail-trail in Missouri. The following excerpt is courtesy of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The article, “The Business of Nature”, appeared in the Winter 2002-2003 edition of MDNR’s magazine, “Missouri Resources”. The Katy Trail State Park first opened to walking and bicycling traffic in 1990 and expanded to its current 225 miles in 1999. The popular trail which stretches from St. Charles to Clinton has become a main artery pumping lifeblood back into many small railroad communities in a constant search for new economic sustenance. Since 1991, an estimated 300 new trail-related businesses have opened to serve the estimated 300,000 annual visitors to the Katy Trail. In Hartsburg, located between Jefferson City and Rocheport on the Katy Trail, Karen Rotts found that the wheels of the local economy roll first on the trail. Rotts, owner of Hartsburg Cycle Depot on the Katy Trail, opened her bicycle rental, sales and service shop in 1997 to take advantage of the town's unique position along the trail. "I think the trail's brought a lot of business," Rotts said. "I know next door (at the restaurant) they do a lot of business on days when the trail is busy." Rotts represents one of several new businesses that have started in Hartsburg to serve trail users. Like many communities, Hartsburg had begun a decades-long economic decline following the cancellation of passenger service along the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad in 1958 and the end of freight service in 1988. In the decade following the conversion of the railroad corridor to a trail, Hartsburg has added two restaurants, a tavern, a bed and breakfast and several antique shops. The full text of the article can be viewed online at: http://www.dnr.state.mo.us/magazine/2002-03_winter/Business.htm Missouri’s official website on the KATY Trail: http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail.htm ABOUT THE TRIANGLE GREENWAYS COUNCIL: WHO WE ARE organizing regional conferences; raising awareness; increasing networking; building a pro-greenway constituency. about every greenway project and program affecting our region; providing 'trail alerts' about important trails and greenways issues coming before local town boards, city councils, and county commissions; mapping the network of regional trails and greenways; sharing resources among the region's trails, greenways, and parks advocacy groups. corridors; building a fund to purchase critical open space; maintaining and constructing trails within the region. lives with forethought of grief... For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free” - Wendell Berry publication of the Triangle Greenways Council, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Donald R. Belk, editor. The views expressed herein may not reflect those of the organization, its members, or its board of directors. If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, or to make comments to the editor, please send a message to trianglegreenways@yahoo.com. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! - Don |