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Take a walk on the wild side: The Colony welcomes new trail that will sweep through uncharted territories
By Marthe Stinton, mstinton@starlocalnews.com
The Tribute Shoreline Nature Trail groundbreaking was held last week as some of the area's top business leaders, politicians and nature lovers were on hand to turn the dirt.
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, The Colony Mayor Joe McCourry and City Manager Troy Powell were present for the groundbreaking of the new trail, which will connect to existing portions of the Shoreline Trail.
"We're extremely excited about the new trail being constructed in The Tribute," Powell said. "The trail will open up access to a large preservation area along the shores of Lake Lewisville. The trail will be a wonderful addition to The Colony's already extensive hike and bike system."
Construction is scheduled to begin next month and the trail will not be complete until fall 2013. The trail will wind through part of the Old American Golf Club and the Wynnewood Peninsula, a previously untouched portion of the city's shoreline.
The project is a unique public/private partnership that is the culmination of three years of planning as well as extensive research with The Colony Parks & Recreation Department, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Jack Matthews is the developer of The Tribute Lakeside Golf & Resort - a 1,600-acre master-planned community that, when complete, will boast more than 2,000 homes ranging in cost from $270,000 to more than $1 million. Matthews worked with JBI Partners to develop and engineer the two-and-a-half mile, 10-foot-wide trail.
"To be able to enjoy the natural beauty of this area, we needed to create a trail that doesn't take away from the habitat," Matthews said in a press release. "That means preserving the tree canopy for birds, protecting the wildlife and safeguarding the terrain; all while allowing for the passage of people through a completely sustainable use of trail materials."
Amenities include benches and trash and recycling receptacles, directional signage, mileage markers, and interpretative signage describing cultural and native features of the lake and surrounding area.
Materials and routes were carefully selected to minimize impact on the surrounding natural environment, both during and after construction. Project areas disturbed as a result of construction will be re-established with a mix of native grasses and plants and recycled materials are being used in the site furnishings where possible.
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, The Colony Mayor Joe McCourry and City Manager Troy Powell were present for the groundbreaking of the new trail, which will connect to existing portions of the Shoreline Trail.
"We're extremely excited about the new trail being constructed in The Tribute," Powell said. "The trail will open up access to a large preservation area along the shores of Lake Lewisville. The trail will be a wonderful addition to The Colony's already extensive hike and bike system."
Construction is scheduled to begin next month and the trail will not be complete until fall 2013. The trail will wind through part of the Old American Golf Club and the Wynnewood Peninsula, a previously untouched portion of the city's shoreline.
The project is a unique public/private partnership that is the culmination of three years of planning as well as extensive research with The Colony Parks & Recreation Department, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a grant from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Jack Matthews is the developer of The Tribute Lakeside Golf & Resort - a 1,600-acre master-planned community that, when complete, will boast more than 2,000 homes ranging in cost from $270,000 to more than $1 million. Matthews worked with JBI Partners to develop and engineer the two-and-a-half mile, 10-foot-wide trail.
"To be able to enjoy the natural beauty of this area, we needed to create a trail that doesn't take away from the habitat," Matthews said in a press release. "That means preserving the tree canopy for birds, protecting the wildlife and safeguarding the terrain; all while allowing for the passage of people through a completely sustainable use of trail materials."
Amenities include benches and trash and recycling receptacles, directional signage, mileage markers, and interpretative signage describing cultural and native features of the lake and surrounding area.
Materials and routes were carefully selected to minimize impact on the surrounding natural environment, both during and after construction. Project areas disturbed as a result of construction will be re-established with a mix of native grasses and plants and recycled materials are being used in the site furnishings where possible.
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