Urban trails can bring communities together like never before.

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) is working with the Fifeville Neighborhood Association (FNA) and the Rivanna Trails Foundation (RTF), the City of Charlottesville and many other community organizations to connect Greenstone on Fifth (an income-qualified housing development) to Tonsler Park and surrounding neighborhoods. The trail will also provide an important cross-neighborhood connection in an area with insufficient sidewalks. 

For the past two years, FNA has conducted extensive community engagement with partners including Abundant Life Ministries, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Virginia, the Islamic Society of Central Virginia, Wildrock, Woodard Properties, and many others. 

The stream-side trail will re-open a gate on the south side of Tonsler Park and connect to Greenstone via a historic bridge, along with extensions to Fifth and 7½ streets (see map). The trail will have a natural surface, gentle grades and good sightlines. 

PEC wrote a successful $25,000 Get Outdoors grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation for RTF to build the trail, beginning in September 2021. There will be plenty of opportunities for residents and members of the community to pitch in!

For information, please contact Peter Krebs, PEC ([email protected]) or call 434-465-9869.