City of Statesville celebrates North Carolina’s 2023 Year of the Trail with Resolution by City Council

Statesville, North Carolina:  The City of Statesville joins communities across North Carolina in celebrating the 2023 Year of the Trail, a statewide campaign inviting every North Carolinian to get outside onto the trails, greenways, and blueways that stretch across the state.  During the meeting on Monday, Mayor Costi Kutteh and the City Council declared 2023 as “The Year of the Trail” in Statesville and commended its observance to all people.

“In 2023, we plan to continue improvements to our local trails and greenways while laying the foundation for the expansion of our trail networks,” said Recreation & Parks Director Richard Griggs.  “We also plan to host community cleanup opportunities, guided nature hikes, and conduct targeted conversations with citizens to encourage assistance with trail and greenway expansion efforts.”

On August 10th, 2021, the NC legislature passed HB 554, designating 2023 as the “North Carolina Year of the Trail.” This historic designation underscores the tremendous energy behind showcasing, promoting, and celebrating North Carolina’s trails, both in terms of their incredible positive impact on quality of life for NC residents, as well as significant economic impact on individual communities who benefit from ‘trail tourism’.

“With 2023 declared Year of the Trail by the state legislature, now is the perfect time to hike and bike Statesville, NC,” said Cindy Sutton, Executive Director for the Statesville Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “We look forward to partnering with Richard and his team to feature our amazing amenities through our tourism efforts.”

The Great Trails State Coalition (GTSC) is leading the Year of the Trail efforts in North Carolina. Made up of over 50 organizations working to build more opportunities to hike, bike, walk, run, roll, paddle, and horseback ride, the GTSC proudly proclaims that North Carolina IS the Great Trails State. The Great Trails State Coalition has partnered with communities across the state to highlight trails and encourage residents to get outside and enjoy local trails, as well as new trail experiences across NC.

For more information on the Year of the Trail and to receive updates about statewide events and advocacy efforts, please visit www.greattrailsnc.com. To hear stories from the trail, learn about new trails to try, and share your trail experiences, follow us at @greattrailsnc on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About the City of Statesville

The City of Statesville is truly a diverse community that welcomes new people, new voices and ideas, new industry, and business. We have already made significant investments in our downtown amenities, our business sector, our schools, our infrastructure, and more is on the horizon. We are creating a dynamic future for ourselves as we build on our successful history and the positive energy we experience today, all the while incorporating the values and quality of life that we cherish. To learn more visit www.statesvillenc.net.