Greenway expansion project making progress

Michael Harrington, Senior Writer - The East Carolinian, Greenville, NC
February 09, 2005

The Friends of Greenville Greenways (FROGGS) has been formed to help speed up the City of Greenville's federally funded greenway project and provide extra cash to further benefit the project.

Greenville was given a $1.5 million grant from the federal government to expand on the city's current greenway system that runs from Green Springs Park on Fifth Street to the area around Dowdy Ficklen Stadium, allowing citizens a jogging or walking path through scenic areas.

The expansion will add 2.5 miles to the greenway that will run from the Town Commons to the intersection of 264 and Tenth Street, allowing users to meet up with the current greenway location at Green Springs Park via Beech Street.

FROGGS intends to raise funds to ensure the new greenway can be completed with additional items that may not be possible to purchase working with a $1.5 million budget.

"The $1.5 million might fund the bare asphalt trail ... but you're going to need benches and lighting, maybe emergency call stations for joggers," said Jill Twark, Chair of FROGGS.

"You want safety to be a priority."

Another benefit FROGGS hopes to bestow on the project through fundraising is a further extension of the greenway, cutting through the wetlands area between Charles St. and Evans St.

This project requires boardwalks and bridges to form an environmentally safe path through the wetlands, carrying an estimated price tag of $600,000. But FROGGS feels it will provide residents of Greenville with a beautiful and scenic path that is worth the high cost.

The group was incorporated in September and is currently in the final stages of receiving non-profit status, which will allow them to solicit money by making donations tax-deductible.

The City of Greenville's current greenway expansion is part of a much larger plan by the city to expand its greenway system.

Twark said in 2003 Greenville contracted Greenways Inc., a company that plots out greenways in cities across the country, who then created a master plan to develop 120 miles of greenway in the next 23 years.

Money raised by FROGGS will go toward helping speed up this proposed expansion.

Twark said the formation of FROGGS came through a suggestion of forming a non-profit group to supplement funding for the project by Jason Pauling, city engineer.

The two met while working on the Greenway Subcommittee of City Council, which meets once every two months to discuss the greenway expansion.

The idea of using non-profit organizations to speed up the funding of greenways projects has been utilized in other cities, including Raleigh and Durham.

"You don't have to worry about the government finding the money over time, we can fundraise more quickly than they can," Twark said.

FROGGS is currently putting together a Web site and a promotional video through student volunteers at ECU to help raise awareness and funds for their cause.

Twark said the group would use the Web site to ease the process of soliciting funds and the video to provide information to community groups.

Nikki Jenkins, senior musical theater major, said expansion of the greenways is a good idea.

"It would be a good place for families and joggers," said Jenkins.

"There are so many restaurants and businesses popping up ... it would be nice to balance that out."

Guillame Bagal, sophomore biology and chemistry double major, said, as a member of the cross-country and track teams, he likes the idea of a large stretch of greenways.

"They're beneficial for the students, the rec. center is there but many people don't go because it's so crowded," said Bagal.