When complete, the Wolf River Greenway will stretch across the entire city of Memphis from Mud Island to Germantown. Photo via Twitter.
Two new sections of the Wolf River Greenway will open Wednesday, adding 2.4 miles to the system that will be 25 miles upon completion.
The Kennedy Park segment is a 1.5-mile multi-use paved trail that winds throughout one of the city’s largest parks, sitting on more than 260 acres in Raleigh.
Nearby, the Epping Way segment is located east of North Highland and south of Stage James Road. It includes a nearly one-mile, 12-foot-wide trail with two pedestrian bridges, new picnic tables, and views of a 25-acre lake and its surroundings.
“Kennedy Park and Epping Way are two pillars of connectivity for this Greenway project and our efforts to connect people and communities from Mud Island to Fayette County,” says Keith Cole, executive director of the Wolf River Conservancy. “We’re thrilled to officially open these two sections of the Greenway and provide the surrounding neighborhoods with a scenic, multi-use, paved trail system that allows them to get out and experience the natural beauty in their backyards.”
In partnership with the city of Memphis Parks & Neighborhoods Division, the Wolf River Conservancy will celebrate the grand openings with a Day of Service at John F. Kennedy Park on Wednesday, October 3rd, and a Family Fun Day at Epping Way on Sunday, October 14th.
The Kennedy Park Day of Service will include more than 150 volunteers from Kingsbury High School, FedEx Corp., and Buckman for a morning of service projects. Remarks from officials and project leaders will begin the event at 8 a.m., followed by the formal dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Epping Way grand opening on October 14th will begin with formal remarks and a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., followed by a neighborhood festival including paddling demonstrations, tours of the Greenway, bike rides from Explore BikeShare, and more. The first 250 attendees will also receive a ticket for free food and drink.
When complete, the $62 million Greenway will stretch from Mud Island to Germantown city limits. Officials hope to complete the trail system by 2020.
