Published 12:00 am Wednesday, December 2, 2009

By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
LANDIS ó The town board is considering the benefits of establishing a park in southern Rowan County.
At Monday’s meeting, Alderman James Furr proposed a study to determine the town’s options.
Rowan County commissioners have said they’d like to see a park in the southern part of Rowan, Furr explained.
About four years ago, officials discussed building a 21-mile greenway that would stretch from the Yadkin River to Kannapolis and connect Spencer, Salisbury, China Grove and Landis with a creekside path. But nothing ever came of that plan.
Furr said he thought the board should “look around at their property to see the possibilities.”He also said that he and Town Administrator Reed Linn attended a meeting in the fall with organizers of the Carolina Thread Trail.
The Thread Trail is a 15-county regional network of trails and greenways designed for biking, walking and commuting.
At that Charlotte meeting, Thread Trail organizers announced receipt of nearly $15 million for the project.
Communities can use Thread Trail grants to help provide matching funds required by state and federal funding agencies.
Aldermen didn’t talk about any monetary contributions toward the trail, but Landis is already moving in the same direction as Thread Trail.
In August, the board agreed to allow the YMCA and South Rowan High School to create a walk/run trail around the YMCA and eventually to Lake Corriher.
In October, the board discussed partnering with the South Rowan YMCA to use property around Lake Corriher for camping and other wilderness activities.
Nothing has been formalized, but ideas discussed in that October meeting included rough camping sites, a shelter for family outings and possibly short-term fishing permits.
The activities would be modeled after a program at Lake Norman. The YMCA there established water activities like canoeing and kayaking on its lake.
For more information about Carolina Thread Trail visit www.carolinathreadtrail.org
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.