The City of Hickory invites the community to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the Historic Ridgeview Walk, a new segment of the Hickory Trail. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 18, at 10:30 a.m. along the future trail path at Taft Broome Park.

The event will mark the official start of construction for the Historic Ridgeview Walk and will recognize project partners, supporters, and stakeholders of this important project. The ceremony will include comments from Hickory Mayor Hank Guess, Ward 4 Councilman Rev. Dr. Anthony Freeman, and Bond Commission member Rev. David Roberts II.

The Historic Ridgeview Walk (formerly known as the Book Walk) will be part of the larger Hickory Trail multiuse path system and bond program that seeks to increase quality of life for residents and spur economic revitalization by providing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity throughout the city.

The Historic Ridgeview Walk will specifically provide this connectivity within the Ridgeview area by linking the Ridgeview community to downtown Hickory and U.S. 70. The Historic Ridgeview Walk path will travel from the City Walk down South Center Street, west across City-owned property at the Historic Ridgeview Public Library, and south on First Street SW to the current Ridgeview Branch Library. The path will then go west on Seventh Avenue SW past Ridgeview Recreation Center, before turning south and following Fourth Street SW to U.S. 70.

This pathway will create a 1.2-mile, 10-foot-wide multiuse path for pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities. In addition to improving pedestrian safety and connectivity, the new walk will easily connect residents to community amenities and highlight the neighborhood’s history. The project will include historical markers along the route to recognize and celebrate people and places of historical significance in Ridgeview, as identified by community stakeholders. The Untouchables monument at the corner of Seventh Avenue SW and Third Street SW will be one of the historic focal points featured on the trail. The design aesthetics of the Historic Ridgeview Walk will mirror those of the City Walk and other Hickory Trail segments.

Kemp Sigmon Construction Company, Inc. is the contractor building the Historic Ridgeview Walk. Construction of the project is anticipated to take approximately 18 months to complete. Taft Broome Park is located at 115 Seventh Avenue SW in Hickory. For more information about the Historic Ridgeview Walk, and to follow along with construction progress, please check www.hickorync.gov/historic-ridgeview-walk-information. To learn about the entire Hickory Trail, visit www.hkytrail.com.

[News release from City of Hickory]