Residents could walk along the banks of Clear Creek to Carolina Village in the near future if the city of Hendersonville is awarded a grant to build an extension to the Oklawaha Greenway.
City Council members voted Thursday to submit a grant application for the Clear Creek Greenway extension, which would connect Carolina Village to the Oklawaha Greenway near Kimberly-Clark.
The greenway project would run a 4,000-foot linear path along the south side of Clear Creek, stopping at Carolina Village before the I-26 bridge, City Engineer Brent Detwiler told the council. The scope of the project runs largely within the city’s current sewer easement.
The city is partnering with Carolina Village to apply for a $341,800 grant from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. Early estimates show the total project cost to be $933,600.
On Nov. 27, the Carolina Village executive committee passed a motion to provide $250,000, with the city covering the remainder, for a total match of $591,800 for the grant. City Manager John Connet said the project is dependent on whether or not the city receives the PARTF grant.
Detwiler said the sewer line that parallels Clear Creek is scheduled to be expanded. That project would be moved up on the timetable so construction on both can take place at the same time, saving on costs overall.
The N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority will select grant recipients during the late summer or fall. According to the application, grants are scored by planning, specifically whether the governing board has adopted a master plan.
Monday, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners adopted its 2020 Greenway Master Plan, which maps out greenway plans for the next three decades to establish a countywide greenway network.
The master plan lists the Clear Creek route as a destination greenway along the same route that would eventually stretch to Edneyville. Detwiler also alluded to future connections to Sam’s Club and Walmart.
Grants are also scored on the level of public involvement, recreational facilities the project would provide, suitability of the site and the applicant’s commitment.
In the same motion, the council gave the go-ahead for Mayor Barbara Volk to draft a resolution in support of the county’s greenway master plan.
The city has scheduled a public input meeting for the project from 5-6 p.m. April 16 at the City Operations Center on Williams Street.