New walking trail offers another fitness option

A new walking trail in an old pecan orchard in east Alabama is now open.

The paved, 1/4-mile asphalt track is next to the Dollar General store at 4514 U.S. Highway 80 west in Crawford. Shawn Blakeney, chief engineer with the Russell County Highway Department, said the trail was actually being used before the county paved it. Blakeney said work began in late May and the trail was paved by early June.

Russell County Commissioner Chance Corbett said the walking trail at Crawford Park is among the Phase II improvements at the park. Corbett said the all-volunteer Crawford Park Committee helped coordinate efforts by community volunteers, who cleared the area and prepped it for the heavier work of building the trail.

Corbett said they've also started the Crawford Market Days in an open field next to walking trail and are continuing to renovate the old store on the site, with hopes of making it into a headquarters building for the park. He said the next market days, scheduled for the third Saturday in July from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature the market's vendors set up along the new walking trail.

Corbett said they are also planning to add a white, vinyl fence around the trail that matches the fence in front of the historic Tuckabatchee Masonic Lodge across the street. He said there are plans to add benches, picnic tables and trash cans at the site.

Corbett said there will probably be a community day early this fall to celebrate the new facilities.

This story was originally published June 25, 2018 at 5:27 PM with the headline "New walking trail offers another fitness option."