Hendersonville residents will soon have another walking and biking option as city leaders recently broke ground on a new greenway along the shores of Old Hickory Lake.
More than a decade in the works, the Sanders Ferry Greenway is probably one of the city’s most anticipated projects Mayor Jamie Clary told more than a dozen officials who gathered at Mallard Point Park on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
The $5.5 million project will add an approximately 1.2-mile multi-purpose walking path along the lake beginning at Main Street and Sanders Ferry Road.
The mix of concrete trail and boardwalks will extend to Mallard Point Park. From there, a roughly three-mile bike trail (with pavement markings and signs only) will move over to Hickory Heights, run down Lakeside Park Drive to Curtis Crossroads, and end at Sanders Ferry Park.
The new greenway will connect with existing greenways at Memorial Park and Drake’s Creek Park via a sidewalk path along the Main Street bridge.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Clary thanked several people who made the project possible over the years including greenway proponent Tom Evans, Public Works Director Sarah Lock who oversees the project, city aldermen who voted to fund the project, and Capital Projects Committee Chairman Eddie Roberson.
“Hendersonville is known for [being] a great place to live, work and play and this greenway is part of that vision,” said Roberson. “I think it is an indication of the progress the city is making.”
The project dates back to 2011 when city leaders voted to accept $1.2 million in federal funds and provide a 20 percent match for the multi-purpose trail. The project was delayed several years for various reasons, but most recently when construction bids came back higher than expected.
The project is projected to cost $5.5 million with the city’s share at around $1.1 million.
Clary said the investment in the older part of Hendersonville has been a long time coming.
“For a long time, the city spent most of our investment outside of this area and it was time to come back and do this,” he said. Clary added that several area restaurants will likely benefit from the addition.
Adams Contracting was awarded the bid for the project that will include three floating boardwalks.
“The one thing that makes this trail unique is you’ve got close to 1,200 feet that is actually going
to be out on the water or on the water’s edge - so that’s unique in and of
itself and a little different than what you see on a lot of these greenways,”
noted Senior Project Manager Tracy Barrett.
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