 | The Friends of the
Trace elected new officers for
the 2005-2006 term at the October 3rd meeting.
|
| A warm-up station
has been built at Jackson Station. It was built in memory of
Robert Simmons, a frequent Trace user and enthusiast, and was funded
by his family. |
| The Trail Manager
has marked the pavement going out from each station in both
directions, with mileage marks: each 1/4 mile for the first mile,
each 1/2 mile for the next two miles. This will provide easy
reference for joggers, skaters, etc, who want to go a specific goal
distance. These are in addition to the kilometer markings which
cover the entire Trace.
|
| The Art Department
at Southern Miss has offered to help add art along the Trace for the
amusement of the trail users. Our new associate, Graduate Assistant
Sarah Moscript, is coordinating these efforts. The Friends have
asked her to find out if as part of their efforts the Art Department
could take on the beautification of the side of several commercial
buildings (Mississippi Tank and the storage unit building at West
Hills Drive) that face the Trace. Permission was been
obtained from the landowners, and trees cut at Jackson Road to
improve sight distances to the east side at the crossing.
|
| The Trail Manager
has marked the pavement going out from each station in both
directions, with mileage marks: each 1/4 mile for the first mile,
each 1/2 mile for the next two miles. This will provide easy
reference for joggers, skaters, etc, who want to go a specific goal
distance. These are in addition to the kilometer markings which
cover the entire Trace.
|
| The donation box has
been signed and installed at the Gateway. The first donations were
collected over New Year's weekend. Mr. Pierce reported collections
of $10-$40 a week to date, and steadily increasing.
|
| The Friends logo,
designed with the help of USM, has been approved
|
| The Lamar County
Forestry Association has posted 25 tree identification signs at tree
sites in the first several miles just west of Jackson Station.
|
| Improvements have
been made to Buddy's Place.
|
| Many thanks to Butch
and Suzanne Sims for sponsoring the new water coolers at Jackson
Station and Epley Station.
|
| We have had a
problem with children dropping things from the I 59 overpass onto
the highway. Signs have been put up prohibiting stopping on the
bridge. Please watch for this and instruct any children not
accompanied by an adult to get off the bridge.
|
| Signs are up
reminding all users to stay to the right except to pass. This may
not be intuitive to some pedestrians as they have been taught to
walk facing traffic on public roadways. Please find a pleasant way
to inform anyone not following this simple protocol. New signs have
been installed reminding everyone to stay to the right.
|
| The purchase of
Clyde Depot is complete. The depot will be improved and upgraded to
include city water and sewage. Work on improving the parking is
already underway. The Trace maintenance yard will also be located at
Clyde.
|
| The Trace has been
selected as a National
Recreational Trail. This makes it eligible for national and
state awards, but they all require that nominations be prepared and
submitted. See the Summer
2004 Issue of the NRT News for details on the Photo Contest (See
also our solicitation), or
nominate one of our volunteers for an award.
|
| Work is underway on
several possible events, at least one of which will be exclusively
for Friends of the Trace.
|
| MDOT has nominated
the Longleaf Trace for publication in the national Communities
Benefit publication. See
Friends letter
of support, Board
President letter of support.
|
