Photo by Steven Gordon
ABOUT
Thank you for your interest in the Singing River Trail. The Singing River Trail is a vision for a long-distance trail in North Alabama that connects our communities, provides active-living opportunities for residents, and spurs further economic development for the region.
We invite you to join this effort led by the Launch 2035: Land Use Planning Task Force. Launch 2035 unites the counties of Limestone, Madison and Morgan in defining a collective 20-year vision to ensure our region continues to prosper. One of the first initiatives is the development of the Singing River Trail Master Plan. This effort will determine the trail routing
and guide implementation for the development of the trail that will ultimately connect Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, and Athens. Long-term, the Singing River Trail may traverse across all of north Alabama.
Throughout the rest of 2018, we are asking for the public’s input and inviting residents and visitors to help shape our plan in a variety of ways. This project depends on community feedback and support to be successful. There are a number of ways you can participate, including through this web portal. If you have any questions about the project, please let us know.
Thank you for your interest in the Singing River Trail. The Singing River Trail is a vision for a long-distance trail in North Alabama that connects our communities, provides active-living opportunities for residents, and spurs further economic development for the region.
We invite you to join this effort led by the Launch 2035: Land Use Planning Task Force. Launch 2035 unites the counties of Limestone, Madison and Morgan in defining a collective 20-year vision to ensure our region continues to prosper. One of the first initiatives is the development of the Singing River Trail Master Plan. This effort will determine the trail routing and guide implementation for the development of the trail that will ultimately connect Huntsville, Madison, Decatur, and Athens. Long-term, the Singing River Trail may traverse across all of north Alabama.
Throughout the rest of 2018, we are asking for the public’s input and inviting residents and visitors to help shape our plan in a variety of ways. This project depends on community feedback and support to be successful. There are a number of ways you can participate, including through this web portal. If you have any questions about the project, please let us know.
DRAFT PLAN
The Singing River Trail Draft Plan is now available to view, download, and comment on.
Ways to get involved:
THE STORY OF THE SINGING RIVER
The Legend of the Singing River
The Yuchi Indian tribe, who lived along the Tennessee River, called it the “Singing River” because they believed a woman who lived in the river sang to them. The tribe was sent to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma as part of the removal of native peoples from the southeast. A young woman named Te-lah-nay felt that the streams and rivers in Oklahoma did not sing to her. She made the long journey to her homeland and made it successfully.
Questioning why a young Native girl would brave a long, perilous journey back to her home land, contemporary discussions with her family lineage points to the answer being that of Te-lah-nay’s responsibility to her
deceased tribal members. Local Native Americans expanded on the legend saying the Singing River holds a portal to the afterlife. Her responsibility to the tribe included making sure those souls traveled to the safety of the ancestors who had passed before. The Yuchi are not the only tribe that attributes human characteristics to rivers. The North Alabama Cherokee long called the river the “Long Person” or “Long Man” contributing to the river a sort of collective consciousness.
For more information on Te-lah-nay and a commemorative wall built for her in Florence, click here.
Paula Nelson, an artist who is an Eastern Band Cherokee citizen contributed sketches of Te-lah-nay in three different concept drawings. Paula incorporated an ancient iconic symbol of “water as medicine” into each drawing. Te-lah-nay was also thought of as a healer for her people, so Paula’s decision to place her at the river makes cultural sense. The river is a place of ritual for spiritual cleansing as well as physical cleansing. Paula’s career spans decades of studying iconography across tribal lines and time periods including pre-and post-contact Native American symbology. Tattooed on her wrist, she carries the symbol of water as medicine.
Paula’s work combined with Alta’s design team ultimately led to the logo for the Singing River Trail. It made sense to incorporate a symbol for medicine into the bike trail logo since that is the essence of the Singing River Trail: Bringing medicine to the North Alabama region to encourage physical wellness, mental wellness and spiritual wellness.
NEWS
February 19 Draft Plan Workshops a Success
North Alabama residents attended two public workshops for the Singing River Trail in early February (one in Huntsville and the other in Decatur). Combined, nearly 150 people attended, all in support of the trail and what it could mean to them and to North Alabama. Attendees were able to provide feedback on draft routing maps and listen to a presentation about the project’s status. The Decatur mayor kicked off the Decatur event and communicated the positive economic impact this trail could have in North Alabama. The final plan will be complete in the Spring with a prescriptive approach and funding needs to make this trail a reality.
Press coverage:
WAAY Singing River Trail Gets Positive Coverage
WZDX Singing River Trail Draft Plan
Draft Plan Workshops
THE DRAFT PLAN WORKSHOPS ARE HERE! Come provide input and learn about next steps for the Singing River Trail! There are two public input opportunities:
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2019
Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville AL
Education Resource Center
next to the Marriott Hotel
5:00pm-7:00pm
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019
Alabama Center for the Arts, Decatur AL
5:00pm-7:00pm
Singing River Trail Master Plan Taking Shape
The Launch 2035 Committee met on October 29 to discuss next steps in the master planning process. Stakeholders representing multiple agencies and groups across Madison, Morgan, and Limestone counties reviewed public engagement strategies along with the routing of the Singing River Trail. A Draft Master Plan will be complete for the public to review in January 2019.
30 Donors Support the Singing River Trail Master Plan
Thirty separate agencies or individuals have contributed $200,000 in total funding for the Singing River Trail Master Plan. The Master Plan is in development with a final planning document expected in the spring of 2019. The list of donors includes:
- Huntsville Hospital System
- City of Huntsville
- Madison County Commission – Chairman Dale Strong
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- Alabama Association of RC&D Councils
- Robins & Morton
- Huntsville/Madison Co. Chamber of Commerce
- Rotary Club of Greater Huntsville
- Senator Slade Blackwell
- City of Decatur
- Redstone Federal Credit Union
- Clint Shelton – Decatur Daily
- Madison County Legislative Delegation – Senator Arthur Orr
- Madison County Legislative Delegation – Senator Mac McCutcheon
- Morgan County Commission
- Calhoun Community College
- City of Madison
- Bentley Pontiac GMC
- Drs. Amit and Aruna Arora
- Baker Donelson- Joe Campbell
- City of Athens
- Regions Bank
- Pathway Health Care
- AT&T
- Land Trust of North Alabama
- Friends of the Singing River Trail – Mike Cole, Steve Raby, Scott McLain, David Spillers, Mike Dalen
Singing River Trail Master Plan Economic
and Health Impact Study Released
An Economic and Health Impact Study was completed in March 2018 to analyze the potential benefits of a completed Singing River Trail. The study estimates 5,000 users per day on the 70-mile trail with over $13 million in total annual direct benefits. Trails have proven nationally to provide multiple benefits to the local economy, environment, and the health of residents.
Vision and Goals Established for the Singing River Trail Master Plan
We listened to the public at the March project launch events and our steering committee has developed a vision and goals for the project.
EVENTS
Throughout the planning process, the community will be invited to meetings and events to review, discuss, and provide feedback on the proposed Singing River Trail corridor. Details of upcoming events will be posted on the website and emailed to you if you sign-up for our announcement list. Your participation will help to inform how we plan for the Singing River Trail.
Upcoming Events
THE DRAFT PLAN WORKSHOPS ARE HERE! Come provide input and learn about next steps for the Singing River Trail! There are two public input opportunities:
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2019
Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville AL
Education Resource Center
next to the Marriott Hotel
5:00pm-7:00pm
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019
Alabama Center for the Arts, Decatur AL
5:00pm-7:00pm
Past Events
See summaries, photos, and materials of past meetings on our blog.
DOCUMENTS
We’ll publish materials including display boards, drafts, and the final report here on the website for your review. We will look to the public to provide comments both in-person and online throughout the process to ensure the final Master Plan is representative of the desires and needs of North Alabama residents.
