A crowd of community members, nonprofit leaders and government officials gathered near the Chattahoochee River in South Cobb County Monday for the groundbreaking of the regional trail system.
The Mableton trailhead will serve as the capstone for the Chattahoochee RiverLands project “providing access to one of Georgia’s greatest natural resources,” Cobb Commissioner Monique Sheffield said.
It will be located near the intersection of Mableton Parkway and Discovery Boulevard. Eventually, the decades-long project could span 19 cities and seven counties with 100 miles of new trails and parks.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga), who also attended the groundbreaking, passed federal legislation preserving the river and dedicated $2.5 million in funds for the second phase of the project.
Credit: Taylor Croft
Credit: Taylor Croft
“Just a few decades ago, this river was in a tremendously distressed place ecologically. It has taken decades of teamwork ... to bring it back to where it is now,” Ossoff said. “Let this project stand as an example of what communities can achieve when they pull united by a shared purpose.”
The park, which planners hope to complete by 2026, is expected to include a kayak launch into the river, a picnic pavilion, a playground and restroom facilities.
Mableton mayor-elect Michael Owens said the project represents the first of several efforts to make the new city a place where people want to visit.
“All we’re doing is just connecting the dots,” he said.
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