Powhite Trail Care Begins

Powhite Park will finally be undergoing a long overdue facelift starting Saturday, January 31, 2009.

This effort will be lead by Kevin Clark (Powhite Trail Liaison for Richmond-MORE) and under the direction of Nathan Burrel (Richmond City Trail Mgr).

It's been a long, long time coming, but that time is finally here. Powhite Park, the proverbial "Diamond in the Rough" of the Southside, has been in need of some serious TLC for some while.

On our LOOOONG laundry list, there are several short-term goals we have for the park over the next year, and also a few goals further on down the road. Among the short-term goals are items like....

1. Establish a new "outer loop" beginner level trail around the perimeter of the park, with appropriate(but not overcrowded) signage, while rerouting the trail as necessary to pull the trail off private property, closing unsustainable fall line trails and making the best possible use of the terrain available.

2. Establish a ped specific trail that runs the length of the "Swamp Trail" at the bottom of the park, paralleling the existing multi-use trail down there presently.

3. Repair/upgrade existing bridges in the park and create info kiosks at entrances to the park.

4. Create a newer, more visible & attractive trailhead at the parking lot entrance.

Several long-term goals as well, such as....

1. Create advanced and expert level loops inside the big outer "beginner loop", retaining Powhite's tight & technical character, including an overhaul of "The Buzz", to make it just that much sweeter.

2. Create new trails and update/reclaim old trails, all to IMBA standards.

3. Prepare Powhite for increased user traffic in anticipation of, you guessed it, the long-fabled "POWHITE CONNECTOR TRAIL" that will connect Powhite to the JRPS, hopefully without ever having to cross a strip of pavement. This project is in the very early stages, but officially in the works and is favored by the City of Richmond. Adding to that, there are other potential greenway projects that will incorporate Powhite as a "weigh station" of sorts on the way to points South in the City, then the County.

A few notes-

"Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine." Powhite has remained relatively unchanged in the past, but now faces a new set of circumstances. Yes, the park and some of the trails will change, but it will still retain the "old" style as much as possible.Fun, tight, twisty, and with obstacles abounding. A note to the logpile crew- most of the old, rotted logpiles will be coming out, but fear not. We've heard your distant cries in the night, and there will be logpiles o'plenty coming with the upgrades to the park. After all, it just wouldn't be Powhite without the logpiles, now would it?

Trailwork will start on Saturday, January 31st. More details TBA, and soon at that. Please come out to help!

Thanks for reading & stay tuned!

For the latest information, goto Powhite Trail Care Thread.