GADSDEN — A generational greenway project in Gadsden has received a major financial boost with the awarding of a $3 million federal grant.
Gov. Kay Ivey announced the award which will help the city advance its plans to build a multi-use urban greenway.
The grant from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund will be used to construct the Downtown Gadsden Greenway along a former railroad bed which will ultimately connect to the Black Creek Trail System and provide access to sports parks, community centers, waterways and more.
“The Downtown Gadsden Greenway is a mammoth undertaking by the city of Gadsden, but one that will pay dividends for residents and visitors and help the city showcase its assets,” Ivey said. “I congratulate the city on this endeavor, and I am pleased to announce this award.”
The city has plans to acquire additional property along Black Creek to connect the Gadsden Greenway to the James D. Martin Wildlife Park which will create a loop around the city’s urban core.
The 2.5-mile, 8-foot-wide asphalt trail with lighted areas along the greenway will begin at the corner of Cabot Avenue and Peachtree Street and will run between Tuscaloosa Avenue and U.S. 431 before ending at North Fourth Street and North Third Street, connecting with the Black Creek Trail System. Trailheads will be constructed at each end of the trail.
The money from the grant will cover half of the project, which is valued at $5.99 million in total.
The grant was awarded through LWCF’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The LWCF program is administered in Alabama by the Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
“City and area leaders are to be commended for their hard work and vision to bring this project to fruition,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in congratulating the city of Gadsden for pursuing this worthwhile goal that will greatly enhance the city.”
ADECA manages a range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, recreation, energy conservation and water resource management.
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