Clay County is planning a new covered footbridge at Heritage Springs Park to provide students at the adjacent elementary school a safer route to the facility.
Clay County Chamber President Doug Young said the project aims to eliminate the need for children to walk along a busy highway to access the park from their campus. Young said the proposed structure will span Trace Creek and connect the school directly to the park’s playground, amphitheater and ball fields.
“We want to build a bridge across a creek that’s between the park and the school, and then the kids will be able to walk across the bridge right into the park from the school campus,” Young said.
Young said the county secured a $150,000 grant to fund the planning and construction of the bridge. Young said the project follows a separate $286,000 renovation of the park completed approximately two years ago through a grant from First Lady Maria Lee.
“It was encouraging to see the the Governor and First Lady come to Clay County, a distressed county, and roll their sleeves up and and and donate a whole day of work plus other time that the First Lady had to had to work on the project by coming and meeting the people and talking to the people and determining just just exactly what they wanted the park to look like when it was over and done with,” Young said. “It’s this kind of leadership that we’re really looking for in our government.”
Young said the bridge is expected to be approximately six feet wide and will feature a roof to protect the structure from the elements. Young said a covered design was chosen because it will last significantly longer than a standard footbridge.
“Hopefully if we can get enough money it’ll be about six feet wide and have a roof over it, be a covered bridge,” Young said. “A covered bridge would last much, much longer than than just a footbridge.”
Young said the county is currently working with the Upper Cumberland Development District to hire an engineering firm for the project. Young said Tourism Director Beverly Murphy spearheaded the initiative and coordinated with state officials to secure the necessary support.
Young said the bridge will allow teachers to easily utilize the park for recess and outdoor activity periods. Young said the community previously showed strong support for the park’s development, with some 150 people volunteering to assist with renovations.
“The people pulled together there and and this will just be a another pillar in in making that that whole community stronger,” Young said.
Young said the next step for the project involves finalizing the contract for the engineering phase before construction can begin.
