Greenway

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Work on a new section of the Cleveland/Bradley Greenway was launched Wednesday.

This section will link E.L. Ross Elementary School to Tinsley Park using a passageway built when the Mouse Creek bridge was completed several years ago.

A section that runs between E.L. Ross to the ambulance service building at Paul Huff Parkway already is under construction. That link will connect the Home Depot section already done between Mohawk Drive and Paul Huff.

Wednesday’s ceremony was funded from interest income from the sale of Bradley Memorial Hospital three years ago. The County Commission approved the grant in July. It is all a part of Phase IV for the greenway.

Phase V will rework the walking trail through Tinsley Park. That will begin soon, officials said.

“Basically the only funding we don’t have is a bridge across the creek to Tinsley,” said Cameron Fisher, chairman of the city/county greenway committee.

Otherwise, money is in place for a continuous 3.9 mile greenway along the creek from Willow Drive north to Mohawk Trail in the Sequoyah Grove subdivision.

The greenway project was started 10 years ago. The original goal was to link the Village Green Town Center to Mohawk Drive and beyond to the Hiwassee River.

Mayor Tom Rowland said city crews have put many hours of work into the project.

Now, he said, the greenway is being linked to a network of downtown paths. The latest connection is being made by the developers of Spring Creek, Mr. Rowland said.

Spring Creek will be linked along Parker Street to Schemmel Park at Lee University.

State Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, said Bradley County residents have enthusiastically adopted the greenway.

“Even in the rain this morning I was shocked to see joggers out here,” he said.

County Mayor D. Gary Davis agreed.

“When we first started talking about the greenway it was not the most popular project out there,” Mr. Davis said. “But now I hear don’t hear any negative comments.”