City takes steps for greenway expansion

By AMY SATTERWHITE / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

BROWN

With the first phase of the Barren Fork Greenway a rousing success, city officials are looking toward the future in hopes of extending the length of the popular riverside trail.

About one mile long as it currently exists, the trail was officially opened in September 2003. What many may not realize, however, is that including pathways to sidewalks connecting the trail to different areas of town, the greenway system concept totals around five miles. The entire trail was broken down into four phases.

The actual trail portion of phases two through four, which extends from near Pepper Branch Park to near Rocket Park, is 1.65 miles, Parks and Recreation Director Carlene Brown said. The connectors branch out to join the trail to different areas around town, and an example of those connectors in phase one is the sidewalk that stretches from Pepper Branch Park to McMinnville Housing Authority.

Brown sought and gained approval of the Parks and Recreation Committee Monday to begin initial talks with property owners whose properties might be affected by constructing new phases of the trail in phases two through four.

“I wanted to ask the board if we could start this very, very slow process,” she said. Additionally, she said the public’s reaction to the phase one portion of the trail has been so positive, many have asked if there was more of it.

“I had so many people ask, by beginning with the statement of how wonderful the greenway is, but they only wish it was longer,” she added.

Brown noted there are potential grants involved with constructing other phases of the greenway. The first phase was estimated to cost about $549,000. The city obtained grants and paid 20 percent of that amount, or about $110,000, for phase one construction.