Presented by City of Petersburg & Friends of the Lower Appomattox River
Enjoy the River Trail Now and Mark Your Calendar for the Ribbon-Cutting
The Friends of the Lower Appomattox River is proud to announce the completion of the University Boulevard section of the Appomattox River Trail and a NEW river overlook along the Appomattox River on the west side of University Boulevard in Petersburg. This is the first section of the Appomattox River Trail to be fully completed in Petersburg.
Accomplished in partnership with the City of Petersburg, the project preserves a historic stone foundation near Campbell’s Bridge and beautifies the trailhead entrance. Upgraded trail surface and new signage, improves accessibility, comfort, safety, and maintenance capability. The improvements also include, invasive plant removal and addition of new native plantings, to help protect the Appomattox River’s water quality and natural habits by improving the natural buffers along the shoreline.
To commemorate this important addition to the community, a Grand Opening celebration will be held on Friday, November 12, 2021 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. The celebration will take place at the University Blvd Trailhead site, just south of Campbell’s Bridge in Petersburg. It will include trail walks, speakers, and ribbon cutting. The Trail celebration corresponds with the nearby Petersburg Friday for the Arts! event, which highlights special activities at downtown galleries, music, and restaurants.
The University Blvd trail section is just over one-third mile, out to the Battersea Bridges, which is an easy walk for ride or all who want to complete the celebratory tour.
“This grand opening celebration hopes to introduce a new way to explore Downtown Petersburg from the Appomattox River Trail system. We hope community members will see this as a reason to spend more time in our historic downtown and a chance to connect with their fellow community members. The University Blvd section is a centerpiece of the larger 25-mile long Appomattox River Trail bicycle-pedestrian system that aims to further connect the region to all of the wonderful amenities Petersburg has to offer,” says Sam Parham, Petersburg Mayor.
“When we build high-quality facilities and offer a lot more people the resources, skills, and confidence they need to get around safely and conveniently by walking and biking, then people discover the ease and joy of active living, and our community becomes healthier, happier, and more prosperous,” says Wendy Austin, FOLAR Executive Director.
Mark your calendars and join us for the Grand Opening of the University Trail and Trailhead. We look forward to sharing this proud moment with the community.
The University Blvd section was made possible by FOLAR through the generous support of The Mary Morton Parson Foundation, The Cameron Foundation, Virginia American Water, Vulcan Materials, and many FOLAR members and contributors throughout the community. The new signage was funded through a grant to FOLAR from Virginia Tech University and the Petersburg Health Options program. Plantings were funded through a grant from the Tri-cities Endowment at the John Randolph Foundation. We are thankful for our many community partners, donors, and members who support the work of FOLAR to complete the 25-mile long bicycle-pedestrian Appomattox River Trail for our region!
For more information about the Grand Opening Celebration, please contact Kiffy Werkheiser, FOLAR Development Director at [email protected] or at (804) 928-6362. For more information about FOLAR or other trail locations, please visit our website at www.folar-va.org.
What: Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the University Blvd section of the Appomattox River Trail
When: Friday, November 12, 2021
Gathering and Walks: 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.
Remarks and Ribbon-cutting: 5:00 to 5:30pm
Where: (GPS Location) 535 University Boulevard, Petersburg VA 23803
This event will also be live streamed on Facebook.
Speakers: Community and FOLAR Leaders