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The Alpharetta Greenway Celebrates its 10th Anniversary with Big Improvement Plans Ten years ago, the Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta was a big, overgrown swamp. Sitting squarely in a floodplain unsuitable for any building development, it seems fitting that Alpharetta, 17 times awarded the designation of “Tree City USA” by the National Arbor Society, would turn its once-boggy liability into a now-beloved asset that nurtures nature and anyone seeking refuge within its lush tangle of flora. With deciduous woods providing not only a heavily fringed canopy that filters out the harshest rays of the sun but a natural sound barrier to mute the noise of the outside world, the Big Creek Greenway is the calm in a storm of hustle and bustle along the busiest retail/office corridor in the city. Its 12-foot wide concrete path meanders for more than six miles, past wetlands and bedding, over wooden bridges and along mulched sidewinders and observation points, right alongside North Point Parkway. “The Greenway provides a safe and environmentally pleasing pathway for users to enjoy quiet leisure time,” said Mike Perry, director of Parks and Recreation for The City of Alpharetta. “It is very natural with native plants and wildlife.” A Walk in the Park The aptly named linear park is a recreational and environmental park, an amphitheater and outdoor classroom for users of every stripe: walkers, runners, in-line skaters, nature lovers, students and those who just want to sit a spell with Mother Nature. A metaphor that connects Alpharetta’s quality of life, today and tomorrow, it is also a concrete example (literally) of the city’s commitment to greenspaces for residents and natural areas for plants and animals. Following the Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, the trail runs from Webb Bridge Road on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end. A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road, where wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canadian geese can be observed. The park is accessible from the Alpharetta YMCA, Haynes Bridge Road, Kimball Bridge Road and North Point Mall.
Bristol is a familiar presence along the Greenway’s trails and admits that during good weather, this swatch of green is where you’re apt to find her and her husband daily. “We’ve spent many hours here over the years. It’s a place to exercise, without any cost, in a beautiful, natural environment.” Volunteers also spend many hours at the Big Creek Greenway and they come in droves. Groups from the Boy Scouts and different retirement homes, churches and schools have given their time, energy and enthusiasm for a variety of improvement and maintenance projects. After a decade of providing a serene space, long-range plans are in place to extend the Greenway north of Webb Bridge Road to Windward Parkway on the west side of the creek. “These groups usually have a specific mission in mind,” Perry said. “They’ll clear trails, put in bird or duck boxes or install benches or trash cans. They’ll come in for a one-day cleanup and it really saves us a lot of manpower. The mountain bike course, for example, located on the east side of the creek, is the result of pure volunteerism.” Those who wish to volunteer at the Greenway may add their names to a list maintained by the parks and recreation department. Volunteers may be asked on occasion to patrol a portion of the trail and report any damage such as fallen trees or other trail disruptions or issues.
Oasis in the City This year marks the 10th anniversary of the construction of the trail system, and the city is celebrating with the unveiling of its Environmental Park this summer. This facility will house public restrooms, a shelter system, an outdoor classroom and a large parking lot. Through the park’s environmental education division, various programming will be offered in the classroom setting. And after a decade of providing a serene space, long-range plans are in place to extend the Greenway north of Webb Bridge Road to Windward Parkway on the west side of the creek. Plans are also currently underway to include an extension from Mansell Road south to connect to Roswell’s neighboring park system, providing even more miles of trails for people like the 20-member walking club, the Walkie Talkies, to enjoy. “The Greenway offers a pleasant place to walk,” said program coordinator Farrell Garth, who founded the walking group in 1999 to help get Alpharettans moving. “It is such a quiet place in nature.” For walkers, the Greenway provides a welcome contrast to the days when taking a morning or evening constitutional meant walking the sometimes crowded narrow sidewalks in Alpharetta neighborhoods and crossing busy streets, accompanied by the endless noise of parading cars. In spite of its own (foot) traffic, which can be particularly heavy in the morning and late afternoon and on weekends, the Greenway maintains a sense of calm and hushed conviviality. Added Perry, “You would be surprised how far from the city you feel once you are on this trail only 100 yards from North Point Parkway. Come and enjoy this little piece of tranquility.” Exploring the Greenway The Big Creek Greenway is designed for walking, jogging, inline skating and biking. Dirt mountain bike trails are located on the east side of the creek, 2/5 mile south of Webb Bridge Road. It is open from 8 a.m. until dusk daily. The busiest times on the trail are weekends. The road is less traveled, so to speak, in mid-morning and mid-afternoon. The greenway is patrolled on a regular basis by park rangers and police; and call boxes with emergency-only phones are located about every half mile on the trail. Visitors are asked to stay on the trail and off the berm that separates the concrete path from the creek and to be a steward of the Greenway by not littering. There is a public restroom near North Point Mall. The parks department has a use agreement with the YMCA at Preston Ridge, on the northern edge of the Greenway. When the Environmental Park opens, there will be three public restrooms. Due to heavy rains and local flooding in the area, portions of the Greenway may be closed to the public on occasion. The closings generally involve just a few sections of the Greenway, but there may be five to 10 days each year when the trail is not accessible and closed for safety. For more information Alpharetta Recreation & Parks Department Want to volunteer? For information about Alpharetta’s walking club, the Walkie Talkies, contact Farrell Garth at 678-297-6143 or fgarth@alpharetta.ga.us.
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Walking the Line
“The Greenway is one of the best amenities offered to the residents of and visitors to Alpharetta,” said Nancy Bristol, who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony when the first section of the Greenway was completed a decade ago and can still recall being struck by the peacefulness of the park. “The forest of trees in the middle of town, the comforting sounds of Big Creek and the singing of the birds; the safety of a path wide enough to accommodate walkers, joggers, skaters and bikers all at the same time; the occasional spotting of a family of deer or some other wildlife — such inviting features,” she said.