Photos by Marty Gordon
Trees are being removed in front of Christiansburg High School for a new trail extension.
By Marty Gordon
Residents in and around Independence Blvd. are asking what happened to some trees near the front of Christiansburg High School. According to town spokesperson Melissa Demmitt, the trees have been removed to make way for the Huckleberry Trail extension.
King Contracting is completing the work. For the trail to be constructed, about 20 trees had to be removed near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and North. Franklin Street, close to the school entrances and the bus loop.
Demmitt said some trees will be replanted in the areas where they were removed, and no more trees will have to be removed. Some 30 trees still remain in the new portion of the trail, she said, so not all the trees were removed.
The ongoing project will extend the Huckleberry Trail from the Food Lion shopping center on North Franklin Street, through Oak Tree townhomes and along the back of Christiansburg High School and Horne Funeral Home where the trail will transverse on a lofted path adjacent to the roadway.
Once it reaches the Independence intersection, a crossing signal will direct walkers, bikers and joggers down a sidewalk toward the Christiansburg Aquatics Center. The town has recently received secondary funding that will take the trail between the aquatics center and skate park to Depot Park behind the Kroger’s shopping center.
The tree removal will also allow for a new parking lot near the bus loop at the high school. Preliminary planning by the school system calls for new buildings to be located to the front of the current building.
The town has begun design work for the trail to extend past the school to a small neighborhood pocket park. Work is expected to be completed on the current trail extension by early spring.
