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Community meeting slated on tobacco trail
Tobacco Heritage Trail Receives Support from Rails-To-Trails Conservancy
A public community meeting has been scheduled for Thursday evening,
November 29 to discuss the Master Plan for the Tobacco Heritage Trail.
The meeting will be held at The Prizery in South Boston from 7 until 9
p.m. that evening.
Discussion will focus on the recent announcement by Roanoke River Rails
To Trails that they have secured a small grant from the Rails-To-Trails
Conservancy (RTC), a national non-profit organization devoted to trail
and greenway development. Since 1986, RTC has worked in partnership
with communities across the country to transform unused rail corridors
into trails, enhancing the health of America's environment, economy,
neighborhoods and people. Funds from RTC will be used to support local
trail planning and community outreach efforts for the Tobacco Heritage
Trail, a network of trails and connecting routes in Southern Virginia.
The Roanoke Rivers Rails to Trails Association (RRRT), founded in 2004,
has been leading the charge for development of the trail network. To
date 40 miles of abandoned rail corridor have been acquired, with
negotiations underway for additional sections. According to Sandra
Tanner, President of RRRT, the grant will help cover operational costs
that often do not typically qualify for government funding programs,
but are essential for the success of small non-profits. "We're really
excited about this new partnership with the Rails-To-Trails
Conservancy," said Ms. Tanner. "RTC has a long history of expertise in
rail-trail development, and the grant will help cover costs for
upcoming trail master plan community meetings."
The grant was made possible though the National Park Service, Challenge
Cost Share Program. Since October 2005, The National Park Service,
Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) has served as
an advisor to the RRRT Board and assisted in areas of planning,
coordination, and facilitation. RTCA will be continuing their support
of the project in 2008, working with RRRT, Southside Planning District
Commission, and local project partners to develop the Tobacco Heritage
Trail Master Plan. The planning process will include a series of
community meetings held at the following times and locations:
Tobacco Heritage Trail Master Plan Community Meetings include one on
November 27, 2007 at the Christanna Campus of Southside Virginia
Community College from 7 to 9 p.m.
and another at the John J. Cavan Workforce Development Center in
Alberta.
A third meeting will be held on November 28, 2007 at Boydton Elementary
School Cafeteria from 7 to 9 p.m. at 175 Mayfield Drive, Boydton.
For additional information on the upcoming Tobacco Heritage Trail
community meetings contact John Schmidt, 434-296-2108 or 888-781-5732.
For information on the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, visit HYPERLINK
"http://www.railstotrails.org/"
www.railstotrails.org/; for information
on the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails, and Conservation
Assistance program, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.nps.gov/rtca"
www.nps.gov/rtca; and, the Tobacco Heritage Trail website is
HYPERLINK