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The reasons for initially focusing on the 4-6 counties in the proposed Catawba <br />Regional Trail System are timeliness and the current implementation of plans in <br />Mecklenburg, York and Gaston Counties and the recent demonstration of local, <br />dedicated funding toward open space preservation in York and Mecklenburg <br />Counties. <br /> <br />Connectinq Existinq Plsns <br /> <br />Another benefit of the Catawba Regional Trail System is that it is based on <br />utilizing current plans being developed and implemented by local governments. <br />The Trail System will irmorporate existing county and municipal greenway plans <br />that follow natural land -,or water features, like ridges or rivers, or human <br />landscape features like~ abandoned railroad corridors or roads. It will incorporate <br />local recreation and opbn space plans to link natural reserves, parks, and cultural <br />sites with each other a~d with populated areas. Numerous jurisdictions in the <br />greater Charlotte region currently have separate greenway plans and, in some <br />cases, have begun imlJlementing them. Each of the following plans is in a <br />different stage of development: <br /> <br />The Mecklenburg County Master Greenway Plan <br />The Connect Gaston Greenway Plan <br />Kings Mountain Greenway Plan <br />The York County Operf Space Plan <br />The Rock Hill Trail System <br /> <br />Several counties have comprehensive plans that include goals for preserving <br />open space. Citizens ih several of these counties have ideas for other possible <br />greenway connections~ An example of citizen ideas being talked about would be <br />the interest by some p~rties in Chester County for the trail system to follow the <br />Catawba River to Lans~ord Canal State Park. <br /> <br />Taken separately, each of these trails and plans for trails will be a significant <br />accomplishment by itself. Joining the trails in the 4-6 counties to form a single <br />coordinated system will result in a 150-mile Ionq, community treasure of national <br />significance. The impact would be increased tourism, improved quality of life and <br />economic draw to attrabt new business. <br /> <br />Possible Trail Connection Points <br /> <br />There are several obvieus connection points among the existing local greenway <br />plans. For example, rvtecklenburg County's Sugar Creek Greenway is planned to <br />continue to the South Carolina boarder. Once in South Carolina, the creek could <br />easily be continued to tie into the York County Open Space Plan. From there, <br /> <br /> <br />