A new kayak trail was the subject of a community meeting at a recent Cherokee Town Hall.
The proposed kayak trail would run about 12 miles from the Allsboro community to Hayes Landing as part of the Bear Creek system.
Cherokee mayor Terry Cosby says the idea has taken hold and has support from many individuals in the community.
“People here in Cherokee and the surrounding area like the idea,” Cosby said. “I haven’t heard any opposition. Folks around here are behind it.”
Cosby says a kayak trail has been mentioned before, but plans to actually get one started have always evaporated until now.
“It’s really something that has taken off all at once,” he said. “The idea has been thrown around for a few years, but when Johnny Mack (Morrow) approached me with the idea I loved it. Johnny Mack has been putting a lot of work into the ideal.”
Alabama state representative Johnny Mack Morrow sees the trail as a new opportunity for the community.
“Kayaking has become a huge sport today but locally we have done little to take advantage of this popularity,” he said.
Morrow also recognized the role the proposed trail could serve to relieve economic hardship in Cherokee following the closure of the Colbert Steam Plant in April of 2016. Cosby echoed that sentiment.
“When the steam plant closed down, quite a few lost paying jobs. Well paying jobs,” Cosby said. “Hopefully with this trail we could create a few jobs and it be a boost to tourism and revenue which our parks and rec. department could really use.”
Cosby says the biggest challenge now is to secure enough funding to get the project off the ground. Some of the funds will come from local taxes, but officials are soliciting funding from other areas, as well.
“We’re in talks with quite a few people about getting the funding we need to get started,” he said. “Johnny Mack has reached out to UNA and they have offered their support. He is also going to try and work with Senator (Larry) Stutts to see if he can get more funding for it.”
TVA and NACOLG may also be involved down the road, Cosby added.
Cosby is optimistic that with help from Morrow and others, the red tape and roadblocks standing in the way can be cleared soon.
“The biggest thing is securing funding. We’ve already got lawyers working on making sure we have everything with properties squared away,” he said. “If all goes well, I think we can get started, hopefully, by spring.”
The kayak trail project is still in the early stages, but Cosby can already envision a trail his town can be proud of.
“It may be primitive at first, but in the future we may look at adding zip lines and things like that,” he said. “I really believe this kayak trail is a good idea and good way to bring tourism and revenue into Cherokee. If we can get the word out about it I don’t think it would be too difficult to get even more support.”
