Trail News Update! 

Ecusta Trail Moves Forward with Study

Ecusta Trail President Mike Oliphant presented a $13,000 check to Hendersonville Mayor Barbara Volk to complete the funding for the Economic Impact Study for the Ecusta Trail project.  In a tight budget year, enough funds were not going to be available through the City to pay for both the impact study and a planning study.  The Friends of the Ecusta Trail raised enough funds through donations to allow the City to complete both studies.   

   Gifts ranged from $10 to $5000, including one individual's challenge grant. City Manager Beau Ferguson remarked on how this is the first time in his career in municipal government where he has seen such willingness of citizens to partner with local government to help fund such an initiative.  Funds for the study came primarily from residents of Henderson and Transylvania counties, however, some gifts were received from as far away as California and Illinois.  When asked why people from around the country were willing to help fund this project, Treasurer Chris Burns said, "Folks from all over said they were so thrilled with these types of walking and biking routes that they regularly sought out such places to visit while on vacation."  Both the planning study and economic impact study are underway and should be completed in early 2012.