January 2010

North Carolina Rail-Trails Seeks Executive Director

Submitted by curt on January 12, 2010

North Carolina Rail-Trails (NCRT), a private, non-profit 501 c 3 North Carolina corporation, seeks an Executive Director, who will be responsible for leadership, development and management of all NCRT programs and activities. The position will be the first staff position for NCRT, founded in 1989, which has until this time been an all-volunteer organization. The ideal candidate will be a service-oriented manager with successful experience in fundraising, advocacy, and board management and development.

The Executive Director reports to the NCRT Board of Directors and serves as the Executive Director of the organization as well as President of the Board (a voting Board member), discharging such duties as are delegated by the Board. The Executive Director is responsible for the management of the organization, ensuring that optimum results are received for existing programs and services, while developing new programs and funding opportunities. The Executive Director must feel comfortable working in a collaborative environment, with equal sensitivity to the needs of the NCRT Board of Directors, members, and volunteers. Core competencies include the ability to think strategically, manage time strategically, take initiative in developing action plans, and demonstrate strong writing and speaking capabilities.

Update on Carolina Thread Trail Events

Submitted by curt on January 8, 2010

Update on Carolina Thread

Catawba County (Hickory, Newton, Conover, Sherrills Ford north of Charlotte) will hold three public forums during January to solicit input into The Thread Trail master plan for Catawba County, one of 15-counties in The Thread Trail footprint. Ribbon cutting and grand opening for Little Sugar Creek Greenway south of uptown will be in June, 2010. This is an urban section of The Thread Trail and a Mecklenburg County Greeenway. See Thread Trail Web Site for details.

Update on Hendersonville-Brevard Area Trails

Submitted by curt on January 6, 2010

Ecusta Corridor Initiative: The Friends group promoting the Ecusta Trail (Hendersonville to Brevard) continues to meet. It has been incorporated as a NC non-profit corp. Federal 501(c)(3) tax deductible status may be sought soon. Norfolk-Southern RR still has not decided whether to file for abandonment. A major employer was recently looking at a site in Transylvania County which would require rail service. This possibility slowed rail banking considerations. However, it was just revealed that that employer decided to locate to another state. The Friends group has developed a PETITION to allow interested citizens to show their support for establishment of a rail-trail on this corridor.

Brevard Bike Path: A bridge and substantial length of boardwalk and a viaduct are being completed in the extension of the Brevard Bike Path into the Pisgah National Forest. Most of that extension will be on the rail bed of the lumber rail corridor built by the long dismantled Carr Lumber Company. The extended trail will connect to the Art Loeb Trail which in turn becomes part of the NC Mountains to the Sea Trail.

Gallimore Road Project: A bid was accepted in late '09 by the City of Brevard for the construction of the Gallimore Road project. That project is a wide multi-use trail connecting the high school, a boys and girls club and an elementary school. NCRT assisted in obtaining the NCDOT Safe Routes to School grant which provides much of the funding for the project. The bidding came in much lower than expected. It appears that the present economic slowdown is a good time to get construction projects done cheaply.

For inquiries on these please contact: Mike Domonkos