Developer's donation ensures completion of trails

With help from a developer, former Grovetown Mayor Dennis Trudeau's last act in office ensured future expansion of the city's walking trails.

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On Dec. 31, Trudeau and Mayor-elect George James met with Herbert Homes Inc. President Mark Herbert, who signed over 54 acres of land to the city to further extend the trails at Euchee Creek.

"I thought it was the right thing to do for the community," Herbert said. "This way they can extend the park from where it is, back toward the inner part of the city."

The third phase of the trails is expected to be constructed on the land behind Herbert's Grove Landing development, across Harlem-Grovetown Road from the existing trails.

"It'll take us from Harlem-Grovetown Road almost to Reynolds Farm Road," Trudeau said.

The park, which opened in spring 2004 in 44.7 acres of land bordering Euchee Creek at Harlem-Grovetown Road, includes two miles of paved trails, a rock den, a parking area, a 100-feet-deep stocked fish pond, a 300-foot bridge, rock outcroppings, picnic areas and an overlook.

A second phase of construction added 0.2 miles of new trails, extending to Wrightsboro Road at Euchee Creek bridge, an expanded parking lot, a pedestrian bridge, a picnic area and a restroom.

A second park entrance and parking lot will be constructed when a state Department of Transportation project to rebuild the Euchee Creek bridge is complete, Trudeau said.

The third phase will be funded by a $500,000 DOT Transportation Enhancement grant that the city was awarded in early December, Trudeau said.

"It is like a going away present for me," Trudeau said as he announced the grant award during his final city council meeting Dec. 15.

Herbert said High Grove development, made up of townhomes and single-family residences, has a few planned access points to the trails.

Herbert said that despite the lull in the housing market nationwide, the industry is still strong in Grovetown and he plans to include many amenities in the subdivision, including a clubhouse, playground and pool.

Herbert said he hopes the city will make use of a grassy field on the land to install a playground or other family-friendly amenities.

Trudeau said the same engineering firm that designed the first two phases of the trails will be designing the third. No start date for construction has been set.