Burke River TrailAround 125 people took part in the Glen Alpine in the Street Committee’s first event – Pickin’ in the Streets including Senator Warren Daniel and wife Lydia. Aldermen Reid Scott and Luke Boone continue to be supportive of advancements in the town and work with the volunteers to make things happen.
Burke River Trail Association has three Focus Areas:
A tree along the railroad tracks that looked like a turkey tail, gave the Town of Glen Alpine its original name in 1868 – Turkey Tail. Now residents wanting to revitalize downtown and strengthen community pride, are leaning into that history to plan events for the community.
The Glen Alpine Downtown Park Public Input meeting was held Thursday, April 11 at 6pm – with a horrible rainstorm 5:50-6:10pm – we still had 24 in attendance for the 50-minute meeting.
There was a 24×36 inch poster of the illustrative park plan for discussion as people were arriving. At 6pm, the meeting started with a 20-minute power point presentation about the park site, park amenities, NC PARTF grant and process, matching funds, budget, and trails coming through the park. Then questions and comments were addressed.
Burke River Trail Association submitted an Opportunity Appalachia Grant application for technical assistance in creating a financial pro forma development analysis for Old Glory Mill. The report will show how much income will be generated by mixed use development that includes the Burke River Trail along with expenses to show profitability to potential developers. What is the Old Glory Mill Project all about?
While much has come and gone in Drexel over the years, the Drexel Barber Shop has remained a constant. Lawrence Anthony started it across the railroad tracks in 1949. Most of us older folks can remember sitting in that tiny smoke-filled shop listening to our dads as we patiently—or not—waited for a buzz. If I’m not mistaken, there was a shower back in a backroom somewhere for guys needing to clean up after a day in the factory. Anyway, it seems like the wait for a haircut was hours, as the room was usually packed with men and boys (and maybe women) and one or two barbers who all had a lot to say.
As part of the Burke County Chamber Litter Sweep, Burke River Trail Association held trash pickups in all the towns along the Burke River Trail route during the week of March 20-27. 65 bags of trash were collected in 9 towns over the 8 day event.
Burke River Trail Association was granted $2500 from Mountain BizWorks for pre-development work to show how the Burke River Trail will flow between the Old Glory Mill and the Catawba River.
David Harmon Architecture was selected to create four renderings of how a two-story restaurant with outside dining space, the trail and access from inside the building to outside could be combined. The brick section in the renderings already exists as part of the mill building.
Though Catawba River is prominent in the nonprofit’s name, Catawba Riverkeeper advocates for all waters of the Catawba River Basin
Because of their involvement with our waterways and our work of making connections along the river and creeks, we meet from time to time to keep each other updated on projects. During a recent outdoor meeting at Valdese Lakeside Park (a trailhead for Burke River Trail), Ryan Carter, Policy Manager and Grant Buckner, Northern Basin Director for Catawba Riverkeeper, reviewed area conservation efforts for water, land and wildlife with Rep Blackwell and Burke River Trail Executive Director, Beth Heile.
Our Trail Towns could also be Rail Towns! In December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration selected the Salisbury to Asheville rail route as part of the Corridor Identification and Development Program. The route is one of seven NC corridors receiving a $500,000 grant from the Department of Transportation to pay for the feasibility studies to decide the viability of the routes.
There is the potential for our Burke County towns to host a train station or be a whistle stop. BRTA will be working closely with the Waiting for the Train nonprofit to make sure our Trail Towns do not miss out. All towns have Norfolk Southern running through town limits – except Rhodhiss and it is on a private spur — so potential there.
There was an incredible turnout for the Rhodhiss Trail Workshop. Business owners, landowners, aldermen and residents met at the Scout Building to share ideas. Shelly Gref who owns the Copper Penny Grill – Lake Hickory said she would will allow trail between the restaurant and water. She also shared the story of how her Rutherford location and Forest City location are now connected by trail and what a benefit it is to have that regional trail as a draw.
A community park has been on Glen Alpine’s wish list for a long time. Burke River Trail Association Executive Director Beth Heile shared with Glen Alpine Town Aldermen that thanks to a directed state grant from Rep Blackwell, the park is one step closer to becoming a reality.
BRTA Executive Director Beth Heile shared the story of the economic development opportunities found along the Burke River Trail route with The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Community Investment Training participants to help others spot worthy projects in their community. BRTA will receive a small grant for Beth’s time.
Beth participated in this investment training as a student last year and received an award for her presentation about Rhodhiss Revitalization.
Mayor Ronnie Thompson has included the Morganton Greenway Extension in his State of the City talks to civic groups to start off 2024. This extension to the east is the Burke River Trail. Picking up at Rocky Ford Access (where the paved greenway stops) eventually trail will cover about 3 miles in the city’s jurisdiction. An update to the trail head is also in the works (shown below).
Currently an uneven gravel parking lot, Rocky Ford access is home to the Morganton Greenway, Fonta Flora State Trail, Overmountain Victory Trail, Mountain Bike Trails and soon Burke River Trail. Updates would include a paved parking area, restrooms, kayak launch and picnic tables.
Lindy’s Discount Furniture was the perfect place for sharing ideas on what sites should be highlighted along trails in Town of Connelly Springs, NC. Some suggestions included the old hotel and spring, a second hotel and spring, Israel Chapel, Hudson cemetery, Chicken in the Basket (the longest open restaurant in the same building in NC), the Knob, cool views on the south side of I-40, stage coach road, Pottery Curve, the old store that is now moved onto Hudson property and more. Even if a structure no longer exists a kiosk can be put in the place telling the history for future generations!!
What is becoming a twice a year event, the organizations responsible for getting trail on the ground in Burke County met to share updates on planning and building trail. Representatives from local governments and nonprofits submitted three slides in advance and had four minutes to provide updates during the first half of the meeting followed by general strategy discussions.
Attendees included those responsible for 3 of the 4 State Trails in Burke County (Fonta Flora State Trail, Overmountain Victory State Trail, Wilderness Gateway State Trail), the 2 large multi hundred-acre parks (Oak Hill Park, Valdese Lakeside Park), a regional trail (Burke River Trail), municipal greenways (Morganton and Valdese) and a trails planner from NC State Parks. Discover Burke County Tourism staff were present to make sure that they had all the latest information to share with visitors stopping in their office.
As more and more trails are built across the state, studies show that a trail can be much more than just a health and recreation amenity. It can drive economic development. Beth Heile, president of the Burke River Trail Association, has found that to be true working on the Burke River Trail route through each small town in eastern Burke County. Heile has uncovered several potential projects for housing, retail, restaurants and outdoor recreation businesses.
Burke River Trail Association’s main focus is getting trail on the ground to provide economic development opportunities in eastern Burke County. With supporting economic drivers as a goal – we follow, get involved and promote all opportunities. We are making sure any town involved with the Salisbury to Asheville passenger rail service is staying up to date!!
BRTA President Beth Heile was selected to be a part of the Mountain Bizworks Investment Framers Cohort. Participants were chosen from the 25 counties in western NC to learn how to spot an opportunity, put together stakeholders, find funding and take the project to completion.
Staying in your own lane is not conducive for getting trail on the ground.
With over two hundred miles of trail on the ground in Burke County and many more miles planned, the nonprofits, agencies and local governments that are responsible for our public trails have learned that crossing lanes to collaborate helps to get trail on the ground faster.
As Beth Heile started talking to local governments and trail nonprofits about co-location and intersecting with the Burke River Trail, she knew others were having the same separate conversations regarding different trail alignments. To make sure everyone in the county was on the same page knowing what is coming down the pike, Heile organized a Burke County Trails Summit for the people planning, building, and overseeing trails.