2019 Downtown Greenway Recap

Big News:

Railroad Agreement: The City reached an agreement with Norfolk Southern to purchase the rights to install the greenway along the Norfolk Southern Railway Atlantic & Yadkin Railroad corridor under the railbanking provision of the National Trails System Act. The agreement allows for construction of the western segment that runs along the railroad tracks from Spring Garden to Smith Streets at the Tradition Cornerstone. As part of this construction project, the City will also build the A&Y Greenway from Smith Street to Benjamin Parkway.

VF Foundation Gift: VF Foundation made a $1.5M legacy gift to Action Greensboro to support the continued development of the Downtown Greenway.

Construction:

o Completed Smith Street between Spring and Prescott Streets.

o Started construction on Murrow Boulevard between Gate City Boulevard and Fisher/Greene.

Public Art:

o Narrowed 65 applicants for the Freedom Cornerstone to four finalists and conducted interviews and public meetings in November. Artist will be selected in January and installation will take place in October 2020.

Activation:

o An average of 3,100 people per month used the open sections of the Downtown Greenway.

o 68 community meetings and events held serving 2,050 people.

o A total of 300+ volunteers were engaged with Downtown Greenway activities.

o Over 15,500 followers on: 5,314 Facebook; 6,069 Twitter, 3,915 Instagram, and 208 LinkedIn.

Programming:

o The Wheels on the Greenway kids biking and safety event planned at Morehead Park in May was canceled due to thunderstorms. We were still able to donate over 120 gently used bikes to children who attend Jones Elementary School and Hope Academy.

Free Fitness classes offered in partnership with the Bryan YMCA at Morehead Park with over 325 participants—our biggest number ever!

o Over $10,000 raised at the 10th Annual Block Party & Run 4 the Greenway in September. The new location at LoFi Park on the Downtown Greenway and Deep Roots parking lot was a big success with 500+  runners and participants.

Pop-up  Classes on the Downtown Greenway: Elderberry Class at Meeting Place at Tradition Cornerstone, Fitness class at LoFi Park with The Shoe Bus, and a Brewing Class with Little Brother Brewing at Woven Works Park.