by Katie Orlando

Davidson now has the funding to purchase land to extend the Randall-Kincaid Greenway by 3/4 of a mile, thanks to a grant from the Carolina Thread Trail. The greenway will run from South Street to Spring Street, Parks and Recreation Manager Kathryn Spatz said.
The Carolina Thread Trail Governing Board awarded a total of $689,240 to 13 towns and counties in the area “to assist with trail corridor design, land acquisition and construction,” according to a press release.
Davidson will receive $27,640 for the land acquisition.
Spatz and Sandy Kragh, planning department administrative assistant, began the application process in November 2010.
Spatz says the town is in discussions with landowners, and once the grant agreement is signed the process should start quickly.
Roy Alexander, executive director of Davidson Lands Conservancy, is looking forward to the greater opportunities for alternative transportation that the extended trail will offer.
“It will allow connectivity to the central part of Davidson,” Alexander said. “That will be nice to have, but it will be critically important once the commuter rail station is in place. It will allow people to bike to the train rather than drive.”
“This trail makes Davidson more walkable,” Carolina Thread Trail Community Coordinator Travis Morehead said. “It goes right along with the town’s mantra of being pedestrian friendly.”
This grant will help further Davidson’s goal of being a healthy, connected community.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recognized Davidson’s health planning and awarded the town $350,000 over the next three years to conduct Health Impact Assessments. Davidson has received three state planning awards and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Fit Community designation in the last year.
The Carolina Thread Trail aims to help communities create a regional network of trails, connecting 15 counties in the Carolinas. The Thread Trail works with the Catawba Lands Conservancy, the Foundation for The Carolinas and other local partners to provide funds and resources to communities to expand this green interstate system.
For more information on the thread trail, visit www.carolinathreadtrail.org.