Parks and Recreation Partners With Friends Homes for Greenway Connector Project
Friends Homes, Inc. donated six-and-a-half acres of open space to the City of Greensboro to connect the Bicentennial Greenway to the retirement community’s campus and Friendly Avenue. Friends Homes has also made a donation to the nonprofit Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Foundation to fund a project feasibility study to understand site conditions and compatibility with existing Friends Homes campus enhancements.
“Friends Homes Board of Trustees sees a strategic alignment between Friends Homes’ focus on wellness and promotion of an active lifestyle and the City’s Parks and Recreation Plan2Play comprehensive plan,” said Arnie Thompson, executive director of Friends Homes.
Plan2Play, along with the Greensboro Bike and Pedestrian Plan and the City’s GSO2040 comprehensive plan, encourages the City to develop trail connections like this. Trails and greenways were residents’ favorite recreational amenity, according to Plan2Play. More than 47 percent of Plan2Play survey respondents wanted to see more trails and programs centered around outdoor recreation making this an ideal project for the community.
The feasibility study, which is currently underway and expected to last through spring 2021, will include public engagement and inform design and construction documentation. The Parks and Recreation Department will manage the project on behalf of the Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Foundation, and a construction start date is yet to be determined.
“We are so excited for this partnership, which will encourage the residents of Friends Homes, as well as, the surrounding community to enjoy our local trail system,” said Nasha McCray, director of Greensboro’s Parks and Recreation Department. “In Greensboro, we are fortunate to have almost 100 miles of trails and greenways, but smaller connections within the City are our missing links. The Friends Home connector will provide much-needed community access to the City’s larger trail and greenway system and will play a central role in providing west Greensboro connections to the Lake Daniel and Downtown greenways.”
Source: https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/
