The trail of America's childhood obesity crisis may be littered with fast food wrappers, soda cans and video games.
The path toward a local solution is packed with soil and lined with trees, creeks and wildlife, said Paul Gehring, director of Spotsylvania County's YMCA.
Gehring spoke last night to the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors during a public hearing on a plan to add nearly 100 miles of trails. He talked about the health benefits of adding paths.
"It will encourage families to recreate by giving them safe places to walk, run or ride bicycles," he said.
Supervisors took the first step toward creating those trails by voting to include the trailway master plan to the county's Comprehensive Plan.
The master plan calls for 93 miles of new trails by 2036.
"These really aren't going to be for me," said Terrell Dorn, president of the Fredericksburg Cyclist Club. "They're going to be for my kids, my grandkids. But we need to start somewhere."
Most of the speakers at last night's public hearing touted the benefits of adding trails. They spoke of tourism dollars, health, reduced crime and recreation activities.
Some, however, urged caution. A handful of speakers told horror stories of life near a trail. Residents of Breckenridge, a subdivision off State Route 208, said the neighborhood included unfinished trails that attract vandalism and public sexual activities.
Residents don't know where to address their complaints and are confused about who maintains the trails. The paths were included in a proffer package when the neighborhood was developed. Now, neighbors don't know where to turn for help--to the developer or the county.
Eva Best, head of Breckenridge's property owners association, encouraged supervisors to learn from the neighborhood's struggles.
"We would hope that there would be many more questions and a little bit of forethought," she said.
Supervisors spent time discussing the logistics and legalities of trailways before voting unanimously to approve the plan. They addressed resident concerns about being forced to give up land or have trails in their backyards.
County Planner Jacob Pastwik told supervisors that the plan calls for flexibility, which would allow the trails to move if landowners don't want trails on their property.
Some residents worried the county would use condemnation. Pastwik said that would be the last scenario considered.
Supervisor Benny Pitts said, "When I read this 238-page document, front and back, I did not see the word 'condemnation' anywhere."
Now that the county has a plan, issues such as those in Breckenridge could be avoided, said Chris Folger, chairwoman of the Spotsylvania Greenways Initiative.
The grass-roots volunteer organization has partnered with the county to help build trails.
SGI has received grants, started raising money and secured materials and volunteers, Folger said. The group first hopes to extend Salamander Loop, a trail behind Spotsylvania's School Board offices. The volunteer group led the efforts to create that trail.
"SGI is ready to get going on these 100 miles of trails," she said. "Spring is coming, and we are eager to be building trails."
Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com