Council OKs extending Danville's Riverwalk Trail

The Riverwalk Trail will grow about a mile in length on the north side of the Dan River, from behind Lee’s Alignment to Danville Plaza Shopping Center.

Danville City Council voted Tuesday on the project, accepting a $97,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration, through the Recreational Trails Program of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The $75,000 needed to complete the project will come from the city’s unallocated balance in the Special Grants Fund.

Getting the project under way required negotiating with seven property owners to gain easements across the eight properties involved in the extension of the trail, according to a summary provided to City Council members.

The same summary said six of the 8.5 miles of the existing trail were paid for with trail program funds, and this is the first time the city has had to share in the cost of Recreational Trails Program-funded project.

Danville residents also spoke out on two issues: greeting returning service members and services for the deaf.

Janet Roberson, the commander of Chapter 19 of Disabled American Veterans, asked that the city help coordinate information for and about returning service members, so the community is aware they are returning and they can find the services they need.

Roberson asked if the city website could be a place to bring all the information from different veterans groups together, and City Manager Joe King said he feels the idea is feasible and won’t be difficult to implement.

Robert Hilliard, a Danville resident, also suggested using the city’s public information officer to get news releases sent to the media about returning veterans.

Deborah Miller, a deaf resident of the city, asked for assistance in making the city more accessible for the deaf.

Miller said the medical and legal community are difficult for the deaf to communicate with, as well as other issues that can mean health and safety problems for deaf residents. She also asked for relief at a dangerous intersection on West Main Street, where she has difficulty walking across the road because traffic moves to quickly.

Mayor Sherman Saunders said Miller’s requests and suggestions would be taken under advisement.

In other action:

» City Council approved transferring a property at 518 Doe St., acquired through the city’s Building Blocks program, to the Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

An error in the transaction left the property deeded to the city, according to a summary provided by Earl Reynolds Jr., the city’s community development director. This approval will let the redevelopment of the property take place.

» City Council also approved letting the city participate in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Urban Construction Initiative Program, which will allow the city to administer the design and construction of its urban construction projects.

The application process will put the agreement into effect on July 1.

» City Council also formally approved a resolution to submit a list of new street names created by the Franklin Turnpike extension to VDOT so they will be included in the agency’s street maintenance payment plan.