STEELE CREEK NEWS

Two Easements Donated for Walkers Branch Greenway Trail

(October 7, 2007) At its October 2 meeting, the Mecklenburg County Commission accepted donations of two greenway easements along Walkers Branch southeast of the current greenway trail at RiverGate. (See MAP.)

The Steele Creek Athletic Association donated .902 acres at the southern corner of its property. This lies across Walkers Branch from the southern end of the current trail at RiverGate. This donation will allow the greenway trail to cross to the eastern side of Walkers Branch and provide access to the back parking lot at the Athletic Association.

The Walkers Creek Homeowners Association donated  2.72 acres along the creek adjacent to the Athletic Association property. This easement will provide land for approximately 1600 feet of trail.

Progress continues on additional easement donations that are being negotiated with property owners along Steele Creek and Walkers Branch. The Steele Creek Community Trail Committee has a vision of a network of trails throughout the Steele Creek community. Small steps will lead to a major amenity that all Steele Creek residents can enjoy.

The approved ordinance included the following justification:

The above greenway easements are part of an assemblage of floodplain along Steele Creek and Walkers Branch in southwestern Mecklenburg County between Brown-Grier Road and the South Carolina line. Thanks to the work of Karl Froelich, a resident of the area, land for this project will be primarily comprised of donated easements to accommodate the trails along both Steele Creek and Walkers Branch. The above easement donations are two of approximately thirty expected to be secured for the project.