FRIENDS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA LAUNCHES RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Current Grant Funded Projects Underway
Construction Projects:
- Appalachian Trail Center – In partnership with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, this center will provide visitors with direction and ideas for the many recreational activities and hospitality offerings in the Damascus/Mt. Rogers region.
- Big Stone Gap Bike Park – development of a Bike Pump Track in the Town of Big Stone Gap
- Haysi to Breaks – a multi-use recreational trail connecting Breaks Interstate Park to the Town of Haysi in Dickenson County
- Haysi Riverwalk – construction of a Riverwalk to connect businesses in Downtown Haysi to the Russell Fork River
- High Knob Destination Center – This center will serve as a gateway between the City of Norton and High Knob offering maps and exhibits that highlight the recreation opportunities in the High Knob Region
- High Knob Lake – improvements to the existing High Knob Lake which include vegetation removal and beach development
- New River Access Points – installation of 4 access points on the New River in Giles County
- New River Center – This center will provide visitors with recreational and hospitality information around the New River in Giles County.
- Pound River Access Points – installation of 2 access points on the Pound River in Wise County
- Pound Bike Park – development of a Bike Pump Track in the Town of Pound
- Powell River Access Points – installation of 6 access points on the Powell River in Lee County
- Stony Creek Park – Additional parking and bathroom facilitates to accommodate visitors to the Devil’s Bathtub attraction. Complete – pending ribbon cutting.
- Tazewell Trails – development of recreational trails, Clinch River access points and selfie spots throughout Tazewell County
Planning Projects:
- Bridge Builders Interstate Recovery Plan – Identify current status of creative economy in four neighbor states, identify shared assets, make recommendations for collaborations across state lines for quicker recovery in the creative economy.
- Cumberland Plateau Regional Master Plan – This plan will develop an asset analysis and development plan for the Counties and Towns of the Cumberland Plateau Region.
- High Knob Master Plan – A master plan for the High Knob Recreation area linking assets to local communities to drive economic development through tourism and recreational opportunities while increasing the quality of life. Complete – pending Master Plan release event.
- Mendota Trail Economic Impact Study and Master Plan – A long-term and comprehensive master plan for the Mendota Trail, a 12.5 mile hiking-biking recreational rail-to-trail corridor under active development that will link The City of Bristol, VA to the rural community of Mendota, VA. Years ago, a rail line linked Bristol and Mendota.
- Mount Rogers Regional Connectivity Plan – This plan will look at the future connectivity and sustainability of all outdoor recreation products within the Mount Rogers anchor area.
- New Markets: ‘Round the Mountain E-Commerce Development – creation of an e-commerce website to enable ‘Round the Mountain Artisans to reach larger markets
- Virginia Creeper Trail Economic Impact Study and Master Plan – A long-term and comprehensive master plan for the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34.3 mile rail-to-trail, traversing through two counties from Abingdon, Virginia, through Damascus, and ending just past Whitetop Station in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, at the Virginia-North Carolina border.