July 18, 2019 (Clarksville, IN): Clarksville is making a push to connect local communities with the addition of a new “Discovery Trail” through the heart of the Town. Officials from Indiana DNR joined with Town officials and project supporters to break ground on the trail, located near the Duke Energy property in Clarksville.
Project partners break ground on the new Discovery Trail in Clarksville. Partners include the Clarksville Town Council, Clarksville Redevelopment Commission, Indiana DNR, Clarksville Parks & Recreation, the Southern Indiana Tourism Bureau, and Duke Energy.
On May 2, 2019 Governor Eric Holcomb announced 17 recipients who will receive funding for 42 miles of new trail development as part of the Governor’s “Next Level Trails” program. The Town of Clarksville was among those recipients, receiving a grant for $840,800 for the Discovery trail development. The Town of Clarksville received an additional grant from the Southern Indiana Tourism Bureau. The rest of the project will be funded by the Clarksville Redevelopment Commission.
Indiana DNR Director Cameron Clark addresses the crowd at the Discovery Trail Groundbreaking Ceremony on Thursday, July 18th.
Cameron Clark, Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources says the fact that Clarksville’s project was ‘shovel ready’ was one of the big reasons why the Town of Clarksville was chosen to receive the state grant. “The accelerated timeline aspect of this was important,” said Clark. “The Governor wanted to see these investments on the ground and people using them as soon as possible, and this (trail project) is obviously ready to go.”
The new trail will consist of a 1.9 mile asphalt, multi-use trail along a former CSX rail corridor southwest from Applegate Lane to Silver Creek, where the trail merges with the Ohio River Greenway. The Discovery Trail will connect to the Levee Trail, Heritage Trail, and Lewis and Clark Trail, as well as several nearby schools, neighborhoods, and commercial corridors. The project includes a new trailhead at Eastern Boulevard near the Duke Energy property, as well as two pedestrian trailheads in Ray Lawrence Park and Beechwood Park.
“On behalf of the Town of Clarksville, we are extremely grateful to the Next Level Trails program and all of those involved,” says Brain Kaluzny, Clarksville Parks and Recreation Superintendent. “This will allow improvement in quality of life and bring connections together within and between communities.”
Construction of the trail will start later this month, and the trail is expected to be completed in early 2020.
To watch the complete Discovery Trail Groundbreaking Ceremony, Click Here.
Video courtesy of Clarksville Town Councilman John Gilkey.
Clarksville Parks
Ken Conklin
Clarksville Parks & Recreation 