THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412200138
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SERIES: OUTDOORS PLAN
SOURCE: BY DEBBIE MESSINA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
Getting most places in Virginia Beach requires jumping into your car and driving. To the grocery store. To the park. To the library. To work.
Imagine, instead, having a natural corridor that's safe to walk or ride a bike to reach your destination, or just for fun and exercise.
``Our vision, which may be a stretch, is to at some point be able to walk or get on a bike and go a long distance,'' said J. Barry Frankenfield, a city parks planner. ``You may have to cross some roads, but it will connect to key activities.''
Architects of the Virginia Beach Outdoors Plan envision tying the city together with ribbons of greenways and waterways to provide transportation and recreation, as well as preserve natural areas and refuges for birds and other wildlife.
The greenway concept is new to this corner of the state, but has been used extensively in places like Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; Boston and Minneapolis.
A greenway is a vegetated area that's linear in shape. ``Think of greenways as long, skinny, green parks,'' said H. Clayton Bernick III, city environmental planner.
Many of the city's existing strips border waterways or follow utility or railroad easements. Some of those could provide trails networks for walkers, bikers and horseback riders, while some greenways will remain undeveloped.
Raleigh has been developing a system of greenways since the 1970s. Most run along storm drain easements.
Raleigh now has about 38 miles of greenways scattered around the city. Several reach to 10 miles long, but most are 4 to 5 miles, said Victor Lebsock, a Raleigh park and greenway planner.
``One of our primary goals now is to pull many of these segments together and connect them,'' he said, ``so that they connect neighborhoods, parks and commercial ventures. It's important to create loops on the greenway system.''
New subdivisions in Raleigh are required to set aside greenway easements. And in developed areas, the city is trying to acquire easements for greenways.
``Greenways are the single most used recreation element that we have,'' Lebsock said. ``We have several locations where there are 2- to 3-mile loops around lakes that are heavily used, ranging from moms with strollers, senior citizens out for a walk, joggers, roller blades, skate boarders, bicyclists.''
In Virginia Beach, planners hope to utilize greenways along the railroad corridor that runs from the oceanfront to Norfolk, at the proposed West Neck Creek Park near the Municipal Center, the utility and railroad easements from Landstown to Pungo, and along the Shore Drive corridor near a planned golf course development.
A planning department intern is currently cataloging all existing strips of green in Virginia Beach, whether they're privately or publicly owned.
``Maybe we could work with private landowners or neighborhood associations to develop these as foot paths or protected open space,'' Bernick said. ``We want to develop greenways in close proximity to where people live. With our hectic lifestyles today, the last thing you want to do is hop in your car to drive somewhere to unwind.''
The plan also calls for expanding the scenic waterway system to link community resources and provide more opportunities to experience nature.
While Virginia Beach boasts many waterways, reaching them is difficult.
``We need access to rivers in a safe way without risking life and limb,'' said Lillie Gilbert, of Wild River Outfitters. Gilbert said canoeists are forced to unsafely launch their boats because the city lacks designated put-ins.
The plan calls for new canoe launches along the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River at Carolanne Farm; at Alton's Creek, a tributary of the North Landing River; and at the proposed West Neck Creek District Park.
The city received a Coastal Zone Management grant of $15,000 to develop a nature trail, canoe launch and a two-mile canoe path along the Elizabeth River, and the city matched most of it with in-kind services to clear trails and haul mulch. Work has already begun. It should open next spring.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation is spending $147,000 to develop a trail and canoe launch at Alton's Creek off Blackwater Road. It too will open next spring. The cost is higher because a gravel road must be built for access and an elevated walkway constructed to protect the marsh.
The plan also suggests providing parking and canoe put-ins when the city replaces bridges, such as Dozier Bridge on Princess Anne Road and Gum Swamp Bridge on Indian River Road. MEMO: [ALSO SEE: Related stories ran in The Beacon on pages 10, 11, 12, 13,
15, and 16 for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: Photos by KIRSTEN SORTON
The plan calls for four new canoe launches, including one at this
site along the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River at Carolanne
Farms.
A greenway is a vegetated area that's linear in shape. ``Think of
greenways as long, skinny, green parks,'' says a city planner.
GREENWAYS AND SCENIC WATERWAYS
The greenways and scenic waterways network of the Outdoors Plan
attempts to tie scattered community resources together with ribbons
of green (the land) and blue (the water). Many greenways will
include multi-use trails for walkers, bikers and horseback riders.
The scenic waterways will include interpretive trail markers.
Specific recommendations include:
Utilizing greenways along the railroad corridor that runs from
the oceanfront to Norfolk, at the proposed West Neck Creek Park near
the Municipal Center, the utility and railroad easements from
Landstown to Pungo, and along Shore Drive.
Expanding the scenic waterway system to include: Eastern Branch
of the Elizabeth River, Stumpy Lake, Owl Creek, Little Creek
Reservoir, Lake Lawson, Lake Smith, Canal No. 2, and Scopus Marsh.
Developing new canoe launches along the Eastern branch of the
Elizabeth River at Carolanne Farms; at Alton's Creek, a tributary of
the North Landing River; and at the proposed West Neck Creek
District Park.
KEYWORDS: OUTDOORS PLAN by CNB