Columbia County officials continue to seek grants to fund a greenway.
On Tuesday, the county Community and Emergency Services Committee agreed to supply $25,000 to help leisure officials qualify for a $100,000 Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation grant. Supplied through 1-cent sales tax funds, the $25,000 supplement is requirement to obtain the grant meant to aid in construction of the Euchee Creek Greenway.
Also, county commissioners approved this month adopting Lewiston Elementary School's Safe Routes to School Plan to possibly qualify for other grants for greenway construction.
The Safe Routes to School Plan provides for building sidewalks and trails to Lewiston Elementary meant to encourage pupils to walk or bicycle to school, Principal Mike Doolittle said. "I think it's a great idea to build some safe paths to encourage kids to get some exercise by walking or biking to school," he said.
Though he could not specify which grants the plan might qualify the county to receive, Community Forester Preston Duffie said several exist.
Already, the school system is working with the CSRA Regional Development Center to identify construction grants.
A greenway master plan would establish a trail system connecting Grovetown's Euchee Creek Trails to Patriots Park, mostly by following the Euchee Creek basin. Mr. Duffie said the master plan calls for the trail to circumnavigate the park and then follow a right of way along Hereford Farm Road to Lewiston Elementary.
Additions might include extending it from Patriots Park to Bartram Trail and Riverside Park on Hardy McManus Road.
About $600,000 is earmarked for bike trails in a county passive recreation fund. Last year, voters approved another $600,000 for the construction of bike trails and greenspace purchases in a sales tax referendum.
However, the earliest county officials could collect those funds would be 2011.
Reach Donnie Fetter at (706) 868-1222, ext. 115, or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.
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I've been hearing about this for years now. Until I see shovels in the dirt, I won't be holding my breath, but a safe walking path connecting our neighborhoods and schools is long overdue. Childhood obesity is skyrocketing, and yet children who live within walking distance of school have no other option but to get in a car, or wade through the overgrowth on the shoulder of a busy road. We should have the greenway and other similar projects on the fast track, before someone else gets hurt.
How about putting some parks in around district 2, where people actually live, rather than way out in the middle of no where?
No doubt districts 1 and 2 are more heavily populated, but you should take a trip out west some time. There has been a lot of development here in the last few years. I live in district 3 and I'd like to think that I would receive some of the benefits of my SPLOST contributions. I believe the greenway system will eventually serve people in all parts of the county (including the Martinez-Evans area).
This is great ! Instead of bikers having to load up the car and ride miles for a place to bike, they can ride right from the house . This looks like a plus for beginner bikers also . Most bike trails in the CSRA are geared for intermediate to expert bikers . A plus for biking ! augustabomb.com
How about along William Few? With the new Publix now open and more to come, it would be great !