‘Whatever it takes’: North Augusta residents hopeful for Greeneway restoration
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NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) -The summertime heat makes the North Augusta Greeneway a popular place to exercise, but some runners we spoke with say it may never be the same again.
The beautiful Greeneway is now an echo of its former self, as massive blockades of debris are preventing many from enjoying it.
Before Hurricane Helene, the focus was on making the Greeneway as prim and proper as can be for the Ironman.
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Now, many just want to see the space reopened by the end of the year.
Sharon Huff has been running on the Greeneway for 13 years, and she says the trail is like her second home.
“I just look forward to the day when it can kind of look like it was before, but I love my Greeneway, and I will do whatever it takes to help it,” said Huff.
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Much of the Greeneway is still closed even after Parks and Recreation, the National and State Guard and the Augusta Run Club worked to clear some of the path.
“I know it’ll take them a long time, and I’m more than willing to be patient because we all want to get back on the greenway,” she said.
North Augusta approved for the city to move forward with contract negotiations with R&R Tree Service to help remove debris in parks and the Greeneway.
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They are also contracted with Southern Disaster Recovery and Tetra Tech, but the city says they aren’t sure if their contract covers Greeneway clean up.
They say it is estimated to cost around $920,000 to clean up all of the city’s parks plus the Greeneway, but Huff says it’s truly up to nature to get it back to normal.
“Everything that has happened to the Greeneway just really touches me deeply, because I know nature will get it back, but it’ll take forever to do that,” said Huff.
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Huff says she is still finding hope along the path.
“I just happened to look up and hanging on one of the trees that had fallen was this little quilted heart that someone had put a little tag on that said, ‘I need a home,’” she said.
She says she knew then everything was going to be okay.
Although the city is still trying to get the Greeneway back open again, Huff says she’s just thankful for the progress already made.
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