Newton Trails

I hate when I get too busy to blog.  I miss it.  Still not much time today, but I wanted to share some thoughts from last week's meeting of trail builders in the Northeast Georgia Region and our tour of the North Oconee River Greenway in Athens.

Sharing an afternoon with public officials and private citizens involved in building greenway trails around the region, it was invigorating to hear so much passion and commitment to the cause. It was also encouraging to hear the success stories from the Athens greenway system and the Sandy Creek Nature Center.  Ours is a region with so much untapped outdoor recreation potential just waiting to be harnessed for the health and economic well being of the region's 12 counties, 54 cities, and more than 635,000 people.  And, all of that natural beauty was in full display along the greenway.

The North Oconee River Greenway incorporates Athens-Clarke County's Heritage Trail -- a series of over fifty interpretive panels along the trail describing historical features such as the former Cook and Brother Armory, Chicopee Mill, Dudley Park, and the railroad.  I can so readily imagine similar panels along a rail trail in Newton County, commemorating our agricultural heritage, civil war history, and the glory days of communities like Starrsville, Hayston, and Brick Store that once dotted the landscape.  It's a vision we need to continue to share every chance we get.

Visit our Facebook page to see more photos of the Sandy Creek Nature Center, the North Oconee River Greenway, and the Heritage Trail.

There's a familiar saying:  "Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it."  I'm taking it a step further.  Forget those who say it can't be done, find those who are doing it, and help make it happen!  Where there's no will, there's no way.  And, greenway trails are built with willpower.

Local news has been dominated for months by repeated refusals from the Covington City Council and Newton County Board of Commissioners to consider acquiring the Central of Georgia Railroad corridor -- for trail use or any other purpose.  We'll take that up another day, for there are many pages left unturned in that book.  But, today, I want to highlight a story receiving far less coverage:  the recent Transportation Enhancements (TE) grant awarded to the City of Porterdale by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).  That $250 thousand grant, backed by local SPLOST collections and private contributions, will fund a project to convert the Historic Railroad Depot into a trail head and community events facility and also construct a concrete trail connecting the Depot to Broad St and the existing loop trail by the Yellow River.

I met Thursday morning with Porterdale Mayor Bobby Hamby, City Manager Bob Thompson, and the city's contracted engineer Marty Boyd.  We reviewed drawings and the project budget.  By itself, restoring the Depot and creating a short connecting trail is a great first step.  But, even more impressive are the city's visionary plans for a comprehensive Riverside Park in the area along the river across Broad St north of the Lofts.  When you factor in the county's Turkey Creek/Yellow River Trail project that would connect Porterdale to Newton High School and Turner Lake Park in Covington, your imagination runs wild.  Leveraging the greenway trail system with a water trail for canoists, kayakers,  and boaters on the Yellow River, you quickly see the tourism and economic development impacts that will transform Porterdale.

Porterdale is a  city with big dreams taking small steps.  And at a time when larger communities seem paralyzed by a lack of unified vision, small steps are cause for big celebration!  These are the people who created a community garden, a farmers market, and a public library from sheer will, personal determination, and a refusal to be limited by things as they are.  These are the people who will someday restore their beloved  landmark gymnasium lost to fire.  And, these are the people who will create a Riverside Park that is the envy of all Newton County and beyond.

At Newton Trails, we support and admire the people of Porterdale.  In the weeks ahead, I will work with our board and the City of Porterdale to determine how best to partner and assist them in their cause.  And, I know we can count on you, our supporters, to join us in that effort. 

In this video, a group of adults said it couldn't be done.  But the will of a young boy, personally committed to creating a different reality, inspired a different outcome.  We've found that will in Porterdale, now let's find the way!

We use the term "greenway" or "greenway trail" often on this site, but perhaps not everyone knows what a greenway is.  Webster's defines greenway as " a corridor of undeveloped land preserved for recreational use or environmental protection."  It also says first known use of the term was 1966, which surprised me.  The concept has been around longer than I thought.  And, yet, some still seem to have trouble catching on.

I've deliberately kept trails alive in the discussion around plans for the Norfolk Southern Railroad corridor because I am afraid politicians will look for any excuse to avoid criticism and try to skirt the trail discussion.  But, truth be told, the potential for that corridor is so much broader than a trail.  A greenway encompasses many uses that transcend trail-based activities like walking, biking, or jogging.

Many folks assume the rail corridor is what they see with their eyes:  the roughly eight feet taken up by the ties and rails.  But, check the survey maps for the railroad, and you find the corridor is actually 25, 50, or 100 feet wide in all but a few places.  And, being already densely lined in most places with trees and plants, the corridor is a ready-made greenway.

There are as many greenspace uses for the corridor as your mind can imagine.  For me, community gardens, picnic areas, playgrounds, dog parks, micro parks, water gardens, and fitness trails come to mind.  A greenway can and should encompass all of those ideas and more. And, aside for the ways in which the greenway can be used, there is an additional benefit realized by every citizen of Newton County -- whether they venture into the greenway or not.  By preserving the trees and plants along the linear parkway, we maintain an oasis of greenery to cool and cleanse our air.  And, we can all use more of that.