Walker County, Georgia has received funding to create the Chickamauga Battlefield Connector Trail, which will link pedestrians and cyclists from the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to downtown Chickamauga.
Walker County, Georgia received a grant of $434,131 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), for the construction of a multi-use pathway. The ARC funds will be paired with a local match for the project that will complete a 2.2 mile trail from the Chickamauga Battlefield at Wilder Road to downtown Chickamauga.
“Walker County is committed to enhancing access to outdoor recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. In addition to being a huge quality of life component for our residents, outdoor recreation is the lifeblood of our tourism industry. This project will significantly impact our community by linking a population center with a popular natural and cultural asset.”
Walker County partnered with the city of Chickamauga, Trust for Public Land (TPL), Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, Lyndhurst Foundation, Riverview Foundation, Jewell Memorial Foundation and others to make this strategic investment to capitalize on one of the region's most significant assets.
Letters of support for the project came from U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia State Representative Mike Cameron, and the acting superintendent of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, among others.
“We know that quality of life matters to this community and that thoughtfully linking tourist destinations to business districts can grow local economies. We are grateful to the ARC for their generous investment in this project, to our philanthropic partners, and to the people of Walker County for inviting TPL to help them with this wonderful project.”
Construction on the trail could start as early as late summer with the project potentially wrapping up by the end of the year.