Artist Radcliffe Bailey who was selected to design and fabricate the Freedom Cornerstone shares plans for the last of four cornerstones located on the Downtown Greenway. Click here to read recent article in the News & Record.
Click here to watch Action Greensboro's The More You Know GSO Facebook Live event with Radcliffe Bailey and learn about his vision and plans for the cornerstone.
We anticipate construction to begin on the cornerstone this summer.
Project is one of eleven in the country to awardees of the highly competitive Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s 2021 Trail Grants Program totaling $145,000. The Downtown Greenway received a $15,000 grant from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy 2021 Trail Grants Program.
The RTC Trail Grants program awarded $145,000 in total to fill critical trail gaps, with an emphasis on regional and community development goals. Among the awards included $60,000 in Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund Grants to bring forward the vision for the cross-country Great American Rail-Trail™, a developing 3,700-mile trail that connects across 12 states between Washington, D.C., and Washington State.
The 2021 Doppelt Family Trail Development Fund Grants winners will contribute to the development and maintenance of the gaps along the Great American Rail-Trail. Recipients include the following:
Cedar Trails Partnership (Iowa), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to help rehabilitate a 1.5-mile section of trail closed due to flood damage
Yellowstone Historic Center (Montana), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund grant for the conversion of a 9-mile abandonment along the Yellowstone Shortline Trail into a multi-use path from the Montana–Idaho border
Headwaters Trail System (Montana), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to support the development of the 0.8 mile remaining to complete a 12-mile network in Gallatin County to connect the Headwaters Trail, as part of the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail
Northwest Nebraska Trails Association (Nebraska), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund grant for the Cowboy Trail Connection’s development of engineering documents for construction of the first miles of Cowboy Trail Connection into Chadron in Dawes County
Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County (Ohio), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund matching grant to complete a 1.6-mile gap between two sections of the Heartland Trail
Peninsula Trails Coalition (Washington), receiving a $10,000 Doppelt Fund grant to support a consultant for the Olympic Discovery Trail, as part of the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail in Jefferson and Clallam counties.
The 2021 Trail Grants Program recipient list emphasizes investments in projects with the potential to strengthen or connect trails in five communities nationwide. The recipients include:
Downtown Greenway (North Carolina), receiving a $15,000 RTC Trail Grant to support the completion of a final 1-mile rail-trail section
Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (New Hampshire), receiving a $10,000 RTC Trail Grant to construct a trail segment, trailhead and amenities
New Jersey Rail-Trail Projects, receiving $60,000 in RTC Trail Grants, including $20,000 to the New Jersey Bike-Walk Coalition to advance community engagement for the Essex-Hudson Greenway trail and $10,000 to the Embankment Preservation Coalition to advance the proposed 1-mile trail along the Harsimus Stem Embankment
“The RTC Trail Grants Program offers support to projects that are often not funded otherwise and are left out of traditional funding streams. These grants often fill critical gaps—both in trail development and funding—delivering returns on investment that bring lasting benefit to communities,” said Ryan Chao, president of RTC.
Three Little Free Libraries have been installed on the Downtown Greenway.
Porter Halyburton designed and fabricated three libraries and Darlene McClinton painted each. You can find the libraries at Woven Works Park (Lindsay & Murrow), Meeting Place at Tradition Cornerstone (Smith & Prescott) and on Bragg St. at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (see map).
Stop by and take a book or give a book. Do you have books to donate? Contact Laura Lorenz at llorenz@actiongreensboro.org
About Porter:
A few good things have come out of Covid-19, among them Porter Halyburton’s recently refined woodworking skills and the construction of three Little Free Libraries for the Downtown Greenway.
Porter, father of Dabney Sanders, Downtown Greenway Project Coordinator, recently moved to Well-Spring Retirement Community and was anxious to try out the equipment in Well-Spring’s new state-of-the-art woodworking shop. The Little Free Libraries were a perfect opportunity to hone his skills and do something to enhance the Greenway and nearby neighborhoods.
Since constructing the Little Free Libraries, Porter has designed and made a number of lidded boxes and cutting boards out of exotic woods as gifts for family and friends. Before his newly found passion for woodworking, Porter spent several days a week at Art Alliance pottery studio in the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center. His pottery is available in the shop at GreenHill.
About Darlene:
Local artist Darlene McClinton was selected to create the design and re-paint the bridge supports at Morehead Park on the Downtown Greenway at 475 Spring Garden Street. Darlene formed a team of local artists that helped her add new life to the bridge supports and named the project Bridging the Gap. The project was completed in December 2020. Darlene graduated from Grimsley High School and attended NC A&T, studying visual arts and design. She is a Visual Arts Professor at NCA&T University. In 2014, she and two partners opened the Artist Bloc, an art supply and coffee shop that provided event space and educational opportunities. Today the business is focused on being an art venue, with a little encouragement from Launch Greensboro, by participating in the Triad Startup Lab. They want to turn it into a chain. This August will be the 3rd annual Bloc Awards present by the Artist Bloc. This event was created to honor, recognize and celebrate the outstanding Triad Artists in the arts entertainment, fashion, cosmetic, culinary industry and to highlight non-traditional artist.
“The Artist Bloc is a home for artists. We see about 300 artists per week,” Darlene says.
She’s also currently serving as Grants Manager for ArtGreensboro and serving on the Downtown Greenway’s Public Art committee. Later this year, one of her paintings – a self portrait called “I am” – will hang at the new Steven Tanger Center for Performing Arts.
“I’m so happy about the direction Greensboro is growing,” she says. “My goal for Greensboro in terms of the arts is for it to continue to be more inclusive. We really need to be sharing the wealth at little bit more than it’s been being shared. It needs to continue to try to create equal opportunities for all cultures, even beyond African American.”
Click here to read recent article in the News & Record by Dawn Kane and here to watch WFMY News 2 segment on the Freedom Cornerstone.
Dabney Sanders, Downtown Greenway Project Manager and Bob Powell, Neighborhood Consultant, talk about Greensboro Greenways at the 2020 NC BikeWalk Virtual Summit
Click here to watch.
The Downtown Greenway, a collaborative project of the City of Greensboro and Action Greensboro, is a partially completed four-mile walking and biking trail that is encouraging economic development, increasing the tax base for the city, and improving quality of life for its citizens. This urban loop around the center city of downtown Greensboro is a green space that promotes fitness, connectedness and well-being for residents and visitors. It is re-purposing a former railroad line and a partially built highway. The lovely public art along the Greenway tells stories and engages users of the trail in a unique and authentic way. With connections to existing and planned trails systems, this loop is the hub of the system, and connects residents from all parts of the community. This presentation outlines how this project was funded through a public private partnership, and shows the role that public art can play in telling community stories. You will see not only the stunning art but the work that was done to engage and include the historically black neighborhoods that the Downtown Greenway passes through in the planning process.
Piedmont Legacy Trails Fall Conversation Series presented Equity on Trails: Creating Inclusive Outdoor Spaces. A Greensboro Downtown Greenway Panel of Partners will share two aspects of their inclusive planning process for the greenway: (1) engaging traditionally marginalized neighborhoods in the planning process; and (2) creating Woven Works, one of the Downtown Greenway’s four cornerstone art installations that includes interactive and accessible elements designed for people with disabilities. Speakers include: Dabney Sanders – Project Manager for the Greensboro Downtown Greenway. James Griffin – born and raised in Warnersville, founder of the Warnersville Historical and Beautification Society, and Director of Real Estate for NC Central University. Randy Walker – Minneapolis based artist who designed Woven Works Park on the Downtown Greenway. Phelps Sprinkle – VP Development and Donor Services for the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and a parent of Roxie, a child with special needs. Phelps has worked and volunteered for disability providers and met lots of parents and kids across those years which has helped inform his perspective for more inclusive opportunities for all. Click here to watch the conversation.
Do you have a favorite part of the Downtown Greenway and/or other trail that you walk or ride in Guilford County?
We want to hear from you!
Take a short video (horizontal in direction and 15 secs or less) or a pic and tell us where and why you like a specific part of the Downtown Greenway and/or your favorite trail. Send them to llorenz@actiongreensboro.org by May 29. We will share these on Greensboro Parks & Recreation and Downtown Greenway social media as part of our June celebration of National Trails Day.
We hope this post fines you well and healthy! Hope you are getting outside on Greensboro's great trails and greenways and enjoying this spring weather while social distancing! Here are some tips for staying safe during the COVID-19 outbreak:
Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to heading to trails — wash hands, carry hand sanitizer, do not use trails if you have symptoms, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, etc.
Do not visit trails/parks if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been recently exposed to the virus and do not have symptoms (within 14 days).
Observe at all times CDC’s minimum recommended social distancing of six feet from other people. Practice it and know what it looks like. Keep it as you walk, bike or hike.
Use parks/trails near your home instead of traveling and avoided parks that are crowded and the six feet rule cannot apply.
Warn other trail users of your presence and as you pass to allow proper distance and step off trails to allow others to pass, keeping minimum recommended distances at all times. Signal your presence with your voice, bell or horn.
Note that trail and park users may find public restrooms closed — be prepared before you leave and time outings so that you are not dependent on public restrooms.
Bring water or drinks — public drinking fountains may be disabled and should not be used, even if operable.
The CDC has other recommendations for using parks and recreational facilities here.
Click here to find trails and parks near your home. And find out here which sections of the Downtown Greenway are open and closest to your home.
DEADLINE FOR REDUCED RATE IS AUGUST 31-- SIGN UP TODAY!
Mark your calendar for a new date and location and BIG block party to celebrate the 10th Annual Block Party & Run 4 the Greenway on Saturday, September 14th from 4-8pm in LoFi (lower Fisher) Park on the Downtown Greenway. The event consists of a 4 mile run, 1 mile walk/run, and a big party in LoFi Park, 500 North Eugene Street. The 10th Annual Block Party & Run 4 the Greenway is in a new location this year with a new race route on the northern section of the Downtown Greenway & in the Westerwood neighborhood. The block party will expand from LoFi Park, along Eugene into Deep Roots Parking lot with good food available for purchase from Crafted Art of Street Food, Kono Pizza, Kona Ice & Deep Roots Market and beer from Preyer Brewing. Kids’ activities and lots of new vendors/organizations will participate in the block party. Local band Gipsy Danger will provide live music. Click here for the schedule and more details. Click here to register for the 1 mile or 4 mile run.
Not a runner and would like to volunteer? Click here to sign-up!
Schedule and Activities:
3:00-4:15 pm – On-site Race Registration & Packet Pick Up at Downtown Greenway/LoFi Park
4:00-8:00pm- Live music, food & entertainment at LoFi Park/N. Eugene St/Deep Roots Parking Lot; Food available for purchase from Crafted Art of Street Food, Deep Roots Market, Kono Pizza, and Kona Ice. Block Party with vendor tents: First Bank, NCA&T, NCA&T Student Health Center, GDOT, Parks & Recreation, Fleet Feet, Deep Roots, Preyer Brewing, The Shoe Bus, Greenway at Fisher Park/Stadium Park, Title Boxing, Bikesboro/TAP, Carolina Kettle Chips, Mati Energy Drinks, Toshi Sushi, Paleo Love Granola, Home State Apparel, The Natural Dog, Ruff Love Rescue, ASPCA, and Red Dog Farm. Children’s activities: NCA&T Innovation Station RV, canvas painting with old tennis shoes, bubbles, & temporary tattoos.
4:00-4:15 pm- Warm-up with The Shoe Bus, Mobile Fitness Boutique in LoFi Park
4:30 pm – 1 Mile Run/Walk and Doggie Jog begins
5:00 pm – 4 Mile Run begins
5:30-7:30 pm—Sergeant Swarm from the Greensboro Swarm will greet participants
6:00-8:00 pm –Gypsy Danger Band
6:15 pm – Projected awards ceremony announced by NCA&T & Councilman Justin Outling (adjusted based on last finisher’s time)
Questions? Contact Laura Lorenz, Race Director, at llorenz@actiongreensboro.org 336.387.8355.
Special thanks to our title sponsor First Bank and to all our sponsors! Glad to have WGHP Fox 8 on board as our exclusive TV sponsor this year and Aleksandra Bush, weekend news anchor will be our emcee for the event!
