Eight-Mile Greenway Seen as Economic Tool for Gwinnett County

An 8-mile stretch of land that follows the Chattahoochee River from Lake Lanier southward in Gwinnett County is seen as more than an opportunity to expand public recreation. It can also be a lure to keep existing businesses and attract new ones, according to an article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The Trust for Public Land and the National Park Service combined spent nearly $5 million to create the longest contiguous stretch of public land along the Chattahoochee set aside for recreation. Eventually the land is expected to be site for walking, hiking and cycling trails, though no timetable has been released.

 

“Amenities like the Chattahoochee National Recreation area give metro Atlanta a significant advantage when competing against cities such as Denver or Austin for corporate relocations,” said George Dusenbury, Georgia state director for The Trust for Public Land. “Parks and other types of greenspace are a huge economic development tool that helps metro Atlanta compete.”

This latest property acquisition is a significant part of a long-term plan to have trails follow the river from its headwaters near Helen, all the way down to Columbus.