The Rich Park Greenway Phase One Now Open – Come on out and Take a Stroll!

on August 19, 2015

Rich Park Greenway Entrance SignTown of Mocksville leaders and the Town of Mocksville Public Works Department joined the Davie County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, August 13 to celebrate the opening of the Rich Park Greenway!  Construction of phase one of the Rich Park Greenway is complete and construction of stage 2 is underway.  The Rich Park Greenway currently connects Rich Park to Halander Drive, winds down to Rich Park Shelter 1 in one direction, to Rose Cemetery in another direction and down to the third entrance across from the baseball field parking lot.

If you do a Google search on Mocksville Greenway you get planning documents dating back more than 10 years and we hope this opening of Rich Park Greenway Phase I is a harbinger of greater things to come.  In the plans are phase II and phase III.

A short visit to the Greenway earlier today (Wednesday, August 19) proved that this greenway is already being well used.  This writer counted a dozen people using the trails in just 15 minutes during a period of clearing on an otherwise rainy morning.

Rich Park Greenway PathA greenway can be defined as a linear park within towns and cities.  They often connect different parts of a community; parks, trails, roads, sidewalks, schools and neighborhoods.  They provide a recreational amenity for walking, jogging, biking, and strolling in a natural setting remote from traffic and they promote physical activity and wellness.

Regulations
Park Hours are dawn to dusk – no trespassing after hours
No motorized vehicles or ATVs
Dogs must be on a leash and you must clean up after them
No littering – please place trash in containers located strategically throughout Rich Park

Benefits of Greenways (from the Carolina Thread Trail)
Greenways and trails not only encourage friends, families and communities to interact with each other and nature, but they also provide a venue for physical activities such as walking, jogging, running, and biking. The associated physical and psychological health benefits of these activities are significant. Greenways and trails help to:

Rich Park Greenway PathFacilitate Physical Activity
A landmark report by the U.S. Surgeon General found that “Americans can substantially improve their health and quality of life by including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives.” It also found that “health benefits appear to be proportional to the amount of activity; thus, every increase in activity adds some benefit.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a report highlighting the impact of inactivity on the alarming increase of overweight children. The report underscores the importance of creating our communities in a way that children will engage in physical activity as a part of their daily lives. “The Built Environment: Designing Communities to Promote Physical Activity in Children.”

2015-08-19_144149Improve Psychological Health
A growing body of research suggests that mere contact with the natural world improves psychological health. Green settings have been shown to relieve feelings of anxiety and improve our ability to cope with stressful situations. In some cases, natural spaces provide therapy for conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder and improve cognitive function and work performance. In addition, greenways, trails and parks provide safe places for kids to play, which is vital in brain development in young children.

Reduce Negative Health effects Associated with Air Pollution
Greenways and trails serve as highways for alternative means of transportation. Therefore, automobiles are used less frequently, resulting in lower overall carbon dioxide levels. Additionally, increased tree density along these greenways can mitigate air pollution by filtering pollutants out of the air, and therefore decreasing the number of respiratory illnesses experienced by many people.

Special Thanks
A very special “Thank You” to; Mocksville Public Works, Mocksville Parks Department, Willis Engineers Inc., Vulcan Construction Materials, Lakey’s Backhoe Service Inc., NCDOT – Davie, and Rowan Precision Machining, Inc.  and the Town of Mocksville!

Come on out and enjoy the great outdoors with a stroll through YOUR Rich Park Greenway today!

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