The Alabama Department of Tourism designated 2014 as the Year of Alabama Parks, and Gov. Robert Bentley is showing his support by awarding nearly $672,000 in grants to benefit those who enjoy state parks.
Bentley awarded a $494,000 grant to Lakepoint State Park in Eufaula to build a trail and training site for off-road vehicles and a $100,000 grant to Lake Guntersville State Park for a mountain-bike trail system that complements a series of biking trails in central and northeast Alabama. Both projects will enlist volunteers experienced in off-road and mountain-bike trail construction.
Bentley also awarded the state park system $67,892 to purchase trail-maintenance equipment for use at all 22 state parks.
“Off-road vehicle riding and mountain biking are rapidly gaining popularity and our park system is striving to meet the growing demand for appropriate trails,” Bentley said. “Many things have changed since Alabama’s state park system was established 75 years ago, but its primary goal of providing opportunities for families and individuals to spend quality time outdoors remains constant.”
Assisted by local trail users and supporters, the park system at Lakepoint will work toward creating a trail system intended to accommodate riders and drivers of all skill levels.
At Lake Guntersville, the park system will collaborate with the International Mountain Bicycling Association and area volunteers to build a mountain biking trail complex that could eventually total 30 to 50 miles.
The Lake Guntersville trail will complement other biking trails in the region including Coldwater Mountain near Anniston and Oak Mountain near Birmingham, both of which already draw riders from across the nation to Alabama, according to state officials and trail organizers.
The Recreational Trails Grant Program funds projects for walking and hiking, bicycling, boating and paddling, horseback riding and other trail-related activities. Local governments and non-profit groups are awarded the grants, administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, and are required to supply local support equal to at least 20 percent of the grant. The Federal Highway Administration allocates funds to Alabama for the program.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, workforce development, recreation, energy and water resources.
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Contact Jim Plott or Larry Childers