County officials, residents, and local business and civic group leaders gathered Friday, Nov. 18, at noon to celebrate the opening of Phase II of the Mayo River Rail Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and hot dog lunch.
County Administrator Tom Rose thanked numerous people in an address to the crowd. He also noted that the bike and foot trail is ADA compliant, making it an attractive option for those who have trouble navigating gravel and uneven trails.
One of several speakers at the event, Chairman of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors Roger Hayden praised the trail’s Phase II completion.
“Sometimes we differ on things, but in the end we do right,” Hayden said to his fellow local officials. “This trail is an asset to the Town of Stuart and the surrounding communities in Patrick County.” He said the neat thing was that it was done through grants and donations rather than tax revenue.
Also addressing the crowd, Patrick County Supervisor Crystal Harris, Smith River District, said she was thankful for former Director of Tourism Jeannie Frisco’s vision that became the Mayo River Rail Trail. “That vision has helped us all keep glowing,” Harris said.
Frisco passed away after a battle with cancer. Her husband John Frisco cut the ribbon Friday. Dr. Chip Hable said Frisco was “always positive and always a role model.”
Patrick County Supervisor Karl Weiss, Blue Ridge District, also addressed the crowd, saying that he is looking forward to the completion of Phase III. “The sooner the better,” Weiss said.
Funded through a grant from the Virginia Department of Transportation, along with citizen and business donations, the Mayo River Rail Trail has been constructed in three phases along the path of the former “Dick & Willie” or Danville & Western Railroad that once stopped in Stuart.
Phase I begins near Downtown Stuart at Commerce Street and runs along the Mayo River where it connects with the newly finished Phase II, which begins a bit past Stuart Forest Products. Both sections of the trail can be accessed from parking areas just off Commerce Street.
Phase II of the trail includes a path to the Landmark Center assisted-living facility on Landmark Drive. Phase III will continue to wind along the Mayo River and end behind Rotary Field on Woodland Drive.
-Angela H. Hill
