Journey of many steps
Saturday's lead editorial.
Greensboro's Downtown Greenway is bold, ambitious and taking its first steps. The easy ones.
Not that it didn't require extraordinary energy and enthusiasm to get this far.
"A couple of years ago it was only a vision," Marsh Prause said after the City Council voted to support the project Tuesday. Prause is a member of the Bicentennial Commission, which has promoted the 4.8-mile path around the center city as its signature project. Ground-breaking for the initial section is expected in the spring — the perfect time to launch such a hopeful venture.
Yet, many journeys that commence with exhilaration present discouraging challenges down the road.
The greatest for this is cost: an estimated $17 million for the basic trail and transportation improvements, such as road crossings; $3 million for parks along the path; and $1 million for operations. Another $5 million would be sought later for additional parks.
Private sources will supply some of the funds. Already, $600,000 has been pledged, Prause told the council, most of that from the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation.
Taxpayers will be counted on for a big share, however. Among other avenues, the project could draw state transportation funds, and proponents will ask for $10 million from a city transportation bond.
While those possibilities sound promising, transportation dollars are tight. At a time when bridge and highway maintenance lags, diverting millions to a greenway is a tough sell. The council's vote of support Tuesday conveyed no commitment of dollars, yet.
Even if construction funds are secured, expenses for maintenance and security will be ongoing. The city handles those costs for other parks and recreation facilities, but council members already have mentioned that as an area for future budget cuts.
Still, benefits should be considered. Boosters say the greenway will promote health and fitness, offer travel alternatives, link neighborhoods, draw people downtown and encourage economic development. Councilman Mike Barber, a budget hawk, said the project could take Greensboro to "the next level." Councilman Robbie Perkins called it "the No. 1 thing we can do" in terms of a long-term strategy for Greensboro's development.
Commission members have been wise in meeting with community groups to build support. They have more work to do as specific public funding decisions approach. Dollars are limited, even if a vision is not.
"A hundred years from now, this project will continue to pay dividends," Prause said hopefully.
It has to be paid for first, and that could be a journey of many steps.
Comments (2)
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I just want to go on record as saying this greenway, while a nice idea, is more evidence that city leaders neither know nor desire to know what is really important to Greensboro.
Not that there's anything wrong with more parks-- there's not-- buy why is it Greensboro can always find money to develop the projects put forward by Jim Melvin but can't afford to hire enough police officers.
Nothing has been done to solve Greensboro's excessive crime and gang issues. Nothing but talk.
The new greenway will be a beautiful place for drug dealers, gangsta's and other netharious types to ply their trades and with current staffing levels for GPD if the new park is kept safe the rest of the city will suffer even more crime.
Finally, if you think crime was bad in '07 just wait until '08.
Posted on March 1, 2008 7:58 PM
Very soon the city council will take up the 2008-9 budget. It is time for serious budgetary belt tightening, particularly in the face of higher interest costs, spiralling fuel costs, and a spike in inflation. Over the past three years our tax rate has increased at a rate more than three times greater than the rate increase for the entire eight year preceding period. Our general fund reserve (essentially free cash) has trended downward for several years, thus lessening available unappropriated fund balances to use in the next budget cycle.
We have unfunded policing needs that must be faced: the coliseum complex has drained over $ 27 million from the city budget over the past fourteen years. The time for reordering our financial house is now. The new greenway program and possible purchase of property adjacent to the coliseum may be worthwhile pursuits, but they must be subordinated to the need to balance the books and have a solid plan for bringing the city's balance sheet back to a strong position. New budget expenditures must be viewed with healthy skepticism.
Posted on March 1, 2008 10:51 PM