Above, residents put the new trail to the test Saturday. (Photo by Bill Giduz)

The Town of Davidson added the luck ’o the Irish to the official opening of the new Southeast Greenway Saturday morning.

Residents, many decked out in green for St. Patrick’s Day, gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony and a chance to walk and bike part of the paved trail. The event was even graced with a small pot of gold in the form of a just-awarded grant of $3,000 from the Davidson College’s Robert Stone Fund to place 60 bluebird boxes along the 2.8-mile trail.

Mayor Randy Kincaid called the greenway project a long time in coming, but added his hope that walking it will provide a new reason to say, “I love living in Davidson.”

“We hope you all walk and run and bike it on a regular basis,” the mayor said. “We hope you will use it to go to school.”

Mayor Randy Kincaid (Bill Giduz photo)

Mayor Kincaid (photo at right) thanked the three people he called key to bringing the pathway to Davidson: Veronica Westendorf, the town’s former landscape architect who helped with design work; Steve Fraher, the town parks and recreation director, who applied for a $600,000 federal grant for the pathway; and Leamon Brice, the town manager who coordinated work to make the greenway happen.

Also assisting with the project was Davidson College Professor Shireen Campbell’s “Writing for the Community” class, which produced a Southeast Greenway brochure that includes a map of the trail, a description of flora and fauna along the path and safety rules.

BIRD FRIENDLY

Davison College biologist Mark Stanback said the grant for bluebird boxes would cover setting up nest boxes with poles and predator guards. The boxes should attract chickadees, wrens and nuthatches along with bluebirds.

Work to install the boxes will likely begin in early May and will be coordinated by Dr. Stanback’s student, Davidson junior Nick Diluzio.

PRIZES AND RIBBONS

Before the official ribbon-cutting to launch the pathway, the town handed out prizes to William Taylor, 6, and Mia Biehler, 4, for the wearing ’o the green.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which naturally featured a green ribbon across the pathway at the Hudson Place Neighborhood Park, was conducted by members of the Recreation Advisory Board and the Greenways, Trails and Bikeways Advisory Board.

As the ribbon fell away, the crowd of walkers and bikers surged forward to put the greenway to use.

Award winner William Taylor

Award winner Mia Biehler, by Laurie Dennis.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Feb. 6, Davidson News & Notes, “Take a stroll on the town’s new greenway.”