Estatoe Trail to Connect to Rosenwald Community
The Estatoe Trail will soon extend to the historic Rosenwald Community in Brevard, connecting it with downtown Brevard and Pisgah National Forest. This new link in the popular Brevard bike path will improve opportunities for pedestrian and bike travel within the city. It will also put Brevard a step closer to its goal of a greenway network that extends from the Davidson River Campground in the national forest, to Bracken Mountain Preserve, to Brevard High School and Brevard Elementary School.
The Estatoe Trail currently starts at the Davidson River Campground and ends at McLean Street in Brevard. An additional section is under construction at the new Depot Railroad Avenue Park. This spring, Pisgah Health Foundation awarded the City of Brevard a $240,000 grant for construction of a section that will continue from West Main Street to the Mary C. Jenkins Community Center site. Conserving Carolina wrote the grant to Pisgah Health Foundation for the greenway construction. Conserving Carolina also wrote a grant in 2018 that resulted in funding from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to secure land for several segments of the Estatoe Trail.
Dr. Jim Wright, a Pisgah Health Foundation board member, said, “Conserving Carolina has had remarkable success creating and preserving public lands in our region to encourage and develop physical fitness and social cohesion through appreciation and participation in the outdoors, including hiking, rock climbing, fly fishing, photography, horse riding and children’s programs. It is a pleasure for the Pisgah Health Foundation to contribute to those efforts in helping acquire and develop the connection of the Estatoe Trail to the Rosenwald community and Pisgah National Forest. This will not only enhance social cohesion in our communities, but encourage physical fitness and exercise through the hiking and biking afforded, helping us all be happier and healthier.”
Executive Director Kieran Roe said, “Greenways are a priority for Conserving Carolina because they bring the benefits of conservation close to home for more people. Greenways provide places for us to connect with nature, get exercise, and release stress. They provide safe routes for alternative transportation, so they reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. Greenways strengthen our local economies and improve our quality of life.”
Mac Morrow, Chair of the City Parks, Trails and Recreation Committee, said, “The expanded greenway is one of several community resources underway in the Rosenwald neighborhood. The new Mary C. Jenkins Community Center is in the design stage, a project that was made possible by the donation of the community center property to the City. In addition, Bethel ‘A’ Baptist Church donated Silversteen Park and an adjacent parking lot to the City to manage as a public park.” He added “Planned future greenway sections will extend to Tannery Park and continue on to Brevard High School.”
Maureen Copelof, Vice Chair of the Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee said, “We are very appreciative of the Pisgah Health Foundation for funding the Estatoe Trail Extension to the Rosenwald Community.” She added, “Thank you to Conserving Carolina for preparing our successful grant application. It is this type of strong, active collaboration between the city and community partners such as Pisgah Health Foundation and Conserving Carolina that really helps make a difference as we work to provide additional healthy, recreational opportunities for our community. This trail extension helps link different sections of our city and brings recreational amenities to more and more of our citizens.”
Conserving Carolina is a local land trust that has protected over 45,000 acres, primarily in Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford Counties in N.C. and the Landrum, S.C. area. The mission of Conserving Carolina is to protect, restore, and inspire appreciation of nature. Learn more and become a member at conservingcarolina.org.