Decatur, Ala. (May 7, 2021) – Today, Decatur Morgan County Tourism held a press conference to announce a historic collaborative partnership between Tennessee RiverLine and the Singing River Trail. Their collaboration is initiated with the award of a Tennessee RiverLine Community Impact Grant to the trail. The grant will support the extension of the Singing River Trail’s master plan from Decatur to The Shoals, two communities representing six cities and counties enrolled in the Tennessee RiverLine’s Tennessee RiverTowns Program.
“We are excited to announce and celebrate a historic partnership between the Tennessee RiverLine and the Singing River Trail. These two regional initiatives are aligned in their ambition to connect diverse Alabama communities and the Tennessee River with complementary trail systems that will catalyze economic development, enhance public health, provide equitable access to outdoor recreation and showcase the region’s natural and cultural heritage,” said Brad Collett, Tennessee RiverLine director.
The Tennessee RiverLine and its principal partners, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Tennessee Valley Authority, believe in the vision for the Singing River Trail, and have awarded a $25,000 Tennessee RiverLine Community Impact Grant to accelerate the realization of the vision and the benefits it promises to Tennessee River communities in northern Alabama, including those enrolled in the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. “We are optimistic that this investment will inspire community leaders, corporate partners and other stakeholders across the region to also invest in these transformational, allied initiatives and the communities and people they will benefit,” added Collett.
Last year, the city of Decatur was one of 15 Tennessee River communities that was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program, beginning its journey to become an official Tennessee RiverTown and part of the Tennessee RiverLine.
“The city of Decatur will benefit tremendously from the partnership between the Tennessee RiverLine and the Singing River Trail. From Native American heritage to outdoor recreation, many untold stories flow thru the waters of the Tennessee River just waiting to be shared. The new Singing River Trail will introduce hikers, bikers and walkers to the sights, sounds and natural beauty found in Decatur along the Tennessee River,” said Decatur Morgan County Tourism President and CEO Danielle Gibson.
The Singing River Trail of North Alabama is a vision for a long-distance trail in North Alabama connecting communities along the Tennessee River, celebrating Native American heritage, enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors and spurring further economic development for the region. Once completed, the Trail will serve as a 150-mile trail linking to other trail systems in eight counties throughout the region.
“The partnership between the Singing River Trail and the Tennessee RiverLine is an investment in the people and communities of North Alabama. A greenway trail system with a blueway river system will provide new opportunities to start a business, get healthier, find a new passion and attract people from around the world to visit our region,” said Dr. John Kvach, executive director of the Singing River Trail.
For more information on Decatur’s role in the partnership between Tennessee RiverLine and the Singing River Trail, call Gibson at 256-350-2028 or 800-232-5449.
About Tennessee RiverLine
The Tennessee RiverLine is a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking experiences along the 652-mile reach of the Tennessee River from Knoxville, Tenn., to Paducah, Ky.; 203 miles of the Tennessee RiverLine run through eight counties in north Alabama. The system serves as a catalyst for economic, social and environmental impact in the four states and dozens of cities, towns and rural communities along the Tennessee River, as well as the more than 4.5 million residents who call the Tennessee River Valley home. For more information about the Tennessee RiverLine, visit tnriverline.org.
About Decatur Morgan County Tourism
Decatur Morgan County Tourism is a not-for-profit organization promoting tourism and economic growth in Morgan County. Travel-related expenditures for Morgan County in 2019 exceeded $278 million and state lodging taxes collected reached nearly $1.4 million, an increase of 10.3 % from 2018. The tourism and travel industry within Decatur and Morgan County provided 2,993 direct and indirect jobs for local residents and total travel-related earnings exceeded $74 million. For information on special events and attractions in Decatur and Morgan County, call 800.524.6181 or 256.350.2028; or visit www.decaturcvb.org.
Press Release provided by Decatur Morgan County Tourism
