05/10/13 — Greenway sneak peak will be held Saturday

View Archive

Greenway sneak peak will be held Saturday

By Matt Caulder
Published in News on May 10, 2013 1:46 PM

Saturday morning a group of greenway enthusiasts will meet behind Wayne Memorial Hospital to hike a section of the proposed greenway that will run behind the hospital.

The "sneak peek," starting at 9 a.m., is being sponsored by the Friends of Wayne County Greenways, according to Becky Craig with the group.

Ms. Craig is excited that the event is falling over Mother's Day weekend.

"People can come out with their moms or they don't have to bring her," said Ms. Craig. "We've tried to advertise it will be a family oriented event, like a Mother's Day weekend event."

Scott Barnard, parks and recreation director for the city of Goldsboro, will be telling people about the different greenways in Wayne County but mostly he'll be out there walking having a good time.

He expects the event will cover about three-fourths of a mile and will be wrapped up by around 10:30 a.m.

Hikers will travel south along the greenway to the area behind ReNu Life, a traumatic brain injury rehabilitation center, then back north up the trail to Wayne Community College.

Hikers walking up behind WCC are warned to wear boots because the area behind the college is considerably wet, according to Ms. Craig.

Ms. Craig said that once the greenway is completed, residents at the rehabilitation center could walk to get groceries without ever having to walk by a highway.

She also said it would make it easier for students at WCC to travel by bicycle.

The greenway is a continuation of the path that runs along New Hope Road and will include a bridge over Reedy Branch and then run behind the hospital and Wayne Community College when it is finished.

The greenway will be paved and the bridge will be constructed utilizing a $500,000 grant from the Department of Transportation for the construction costs.