The City of Sanford is applying for an NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant to fund an extension to the Endor Iron Furnace Greenway and establish the Skunk Creek Fishing Access Area – and needs the public’s input to proceed.
Currently, the Greenway covers 1.43 miles from Douglas Drive to the Riverbirch Shopping Center and then follows Skunk Creek to Carbonton Road.
New: The proposed Greenway extension adds three new segments that will improve walkability and connect Kiwanis Family Park to Kiwanis Children’s Park and the Central Carolina Hospital area.
The proposed segments are:
- Kiwanis Family Park to Fields Drive along Skunk Creek,
- a multi-use path along Carthage Street from Fields Drive to Wicker Street, and
- a multi-use path along Wicker Street from Carthage Street back to the Kiwanis Family Park.
These additions will create a triangle-shaped trail and add 1.19 miles to the existing Greenway for a total of 2.62 miles.
Bonus: The proposed project will also establish the Skunk Creek Fishing Access Area, a public access area with seating and signage. The goal for this space is to provide fishing access that is accessible without a car and also to educate visitors about local fish.
“These proposed projects will provide direct access to extensive outdoor recreation opportunities for all people. This is especially important for neighborhoods that have no bicycle or pedestrian access to local parks,” says Nick Fortune, parks administrator for the City of Sanford. “The Skunk Creek Fishing Access Area will be the city’s first fishing parklet,” he points out.
Share your thoughts: To support the PARTF grant application, the City seeks feedback from the public. Park staff will host a drop-in style meeting to hear feedback and share more information about these projects.
The meeting will be at Kiwanis Family Park, located at 1800 Wicker Street, on Monday, April 25, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
For additional information, contact Nick Fortune at nick.fortune@sanfordnc.net or 919-777-1203. Learn more about the Endor Iron Furnace Greenway here.