Pittsboro, NC- Chatham County Parks & Recreation has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the NC Recreational Trail Program to complete work on the Haw River Trail that runs from Guilford County to Jordan Lake. Chatham County will provide $25,000 in matching funds.
The grant will help build a pedestrian bridge across Pokeberry Creek and provide a one-mile natural surface trail on either side of the bridge. At this time, the trail is rough and lacks a connection over the creek.
Tracy Burnett, director of Chatham County Parks & Recreation, said that Gretchen Smith gets credit for writing the successful grant proposal. Smith is the president of the Friends of Lower Haw River State Natural Area, an important partner in the project.
Burnett said that the grant project addresses one of the department’s priorities to further develop greenways around the county. “It also will improve public safety, help prevent stream erosion and will help deter trail users from straying on to private land.”
After construction, the bridge will be turned over to the NC Division of State Parks, which owns the land. The work is expected to begin in the first half of 2017.