Greenway Planning Grant Back on Track

On Monday of this week I received official authorization from the CWMTF to move forward with the Town's greenway planning grant. The grant allocation of $35,000, along with the Town's $8,000 match, makes this a $43,000 project. The money will be used to map the route which runs along Deep River along the former rail bed, do some basic landscape design, identify the appropriate means of crossing a creek, and enter discussions with property owners in an attempt to begin acquiring property and/or easements. Our ultimate goal is to put a trail on the ground which will connect with the trail that our neighbor, the Town of Franklinville, is currently seeking to expand toward Ramseur. Franklinville presently has a 3/4 mile stretch of the Deep River Rail Trail open, a portion of which is pictured here.

Catching Up

It's been a while since the last post, so here's a brief summary of what's been happening over the past couple of months:

• On October 17, the Committee manned a booth at the annual Ramseur Fall Festival and solicited donations for a 50/50 raffle to raise money for the proposed greenway. This was the first public presentation of the greenway plan, and feedback was extremely positive. After splitting donations with a luck winner, $206 was raised to put toward the greenway plan.
• On October 31, the Committee sponsored "Halloween in Ramseur" by encouraging downtown area businesses and churches to hand out candy and provide a safe trick-or-treating opportunity for area youth. The event was a great success, with several hundred children coming out. Although not downtown, the annual Halloween Open House at the Fire Station (also advertised on the "Halloween in Ramseur" flyer) saw over 600 visitors.
• On November 12, the Committee kicked off a new series of art exhibits at Town Hall. Local artist Dale Akers opened the series with a well-attended evening reception. Titled "The Fine Art and Photography of Dale Akers," the exhibition will be on display through January 7. The Committee hopes to see a rotating monthly display of art with an opening reception held the second Thursday of the month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.