The Town of Lyerly and the City of Summerville have been awarded a portion of $1.66 million The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR)  has recently awarded in grants for trails around the state. 

Lyerly will use use its money for a  Lower Chattooga River Canoe/Kayak Trail.  According to the Coosa River Basin Initiative, the Chattooga River was once heavily polluted, but is now recovered and is an inviting place for paddling. Lyerly will capitalize on that by drawing kayakers and canoeists and will use the DNR’s recommended grant of $99,700 in enhancing existing launch points and constructing an entirely new river trailhead. No word yet on where that trailhead will be. Mayor Josh Wyatt is in the process of trying to purchase property. 

The City of Summerville will receive a recommended grant of $100,000 to assist with the development of the Willow Springs Trail, which will connect two of the city's most historic resources — Willow Springs Park and the Summerville Depot. 

Summerville City Councilman David Ford helped spearhead the Willow Springs Trail project. He said the trail will go under Highway 27 and come out at the base of the spring with a deck behind Tad's Quick Lube. He said there is a possibility that an area behind the depot will be squared up and there will be another deck. Right now preliminary work is being done to begin the work on the trail.

Funding for the Recreational Trails Program is appropriated by Congress in the national highway legislation, and is overseen by the Federal Highway Administration. The DNR administers the grant program under the guidance of the Federal Highway Administration.  Each year, the DNR holds a competition for the grants. Agencies of state, federal and local government are eligible to compete. Every recipient is required to match the grant by providing at least 20 percent of the cost of the project.