Groundbreaking set for Old Fort Trails Project
Community to celebrate construction of 42-mile trail system
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 10, 2022
Community members will break ground on the Old Fort Trails Project on Jan. 15, near Curtis Creek, where the first phase of the planned 42-mile trail system is being constructed. Photo by Fred McCormick
It seems unlikely that a single shovel of dirt would appropriately commemorate breaking ground on the first phase of the Old Fort Trails Project. The ceremony, like the story of the 42-mile trail system itself, will be a community affair.
Members of the community will join the U.S. Forest Service and the Old Fort-based nonprofit organization, G5 Trail Collective, at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 15, at 1450 Curtis Creek Road, where everyone is invited to pick up a shovel to celebrate the occasion.
Announced in November of 2021, the initial phase of construction will focus on an east four-mile loop, and an additional two miles of hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails in the Pisgah National Forest. The trails, a 500-space parking area and restroom facility, supported by a $490,000 grant from Dogwood Health Trust, are expected to be completed by the summer.
The goal of the G5 Trail Collective, a partnership that includes Camp Grier, People on the Move for Old Fort, the U.S. Forest Service, Kitsbow, Eagle Market Street Development and various community organizations and businesses, is to complete the entire system within six years.
The Old Fort Trails Project is a community initiative that emphasizes feedback from area residents, organizations, businesses and trail users. The system itself is designed to provide an accessible network of trails intended to provide increased connectivity in the community.
“The Old Fort Trail Project represents a tidal shift in what is possible on our public lands, and shows what happens when a community of people from diverse backgrounds come together to dream big about their future,” said Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation CEO Stephanie Swepson Twitty. “We are excited to share the groundbreaking with the community this Martin Luther King weekend.”
The groundbreaking event will include a community-led ceremony where everyone can participate in digging the first shovels of dirt for the project, followed by a short walk to the trailhead and discussion about the first phase of trails. An outdoor reception at Kitsbow’s Old Fort Ride House, from 2 - 3 p.m., will follow the ceremony.
“We invite you to participate in this historic event as we officially begin construction and launch this community-driven project,” said Lisa Jennings of the U.S. Forest Service. “This groundbreaking represents a watershed moment for Old Fort after three years of planning, collaboration, and community building around trails. Join us and dig a shovel full of dirt to participate in history in the making.”
For additional information and details on the event, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/old-fort-trails-project-groundbreaking-ceremony-tickets-227316990237.