Green Light Given To Briarwood Park Nature Trails

BROOKHAVEN, GA — The city council has unanimously approved a contract which gives the green light to the construction of the Briarwood Park Nature Trails. During its regular business meeting on Aug. 27, the Council amended the 2019 Budget in the amount of $97,922 and approved the contract with Steele & Associates after a competitive bid process.

In 2017 Brookhaven received an award of $100,000 from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Recreation Trails Program in to complete one-half mile of trails and remove approximately 5 acres of invasive species from the park, potentially increasing the useable greens space by over 30%. These plans were originally articulated in the Briarwood Park specific master plan.

The city agreed to pay for the balance of the project, with a minimum match of $25,000.

“By pursuing alternative funding sources, we were able to get the most bang for the buck,” said Mayor John Ernst. “On this project, while we had to wait a little longer than originally planned, we were able to leverage our budget nearly 4 to 1, which gives us more flexibility for future projects.”

The nature trails will be comprised of naturalized surface and native granite where necessary for stabilization. The plan also includes a crosswalk from the parking area to the trailhead.