Woodstock Tutors

About Woodstock

In 2007, the mayor and city council of Woodstock, Georgia, had a vision—and a very green one at that. They envisioned providing outdoor recreation and an alternate mode of transportation for its residents through a sixty-mile network of trails along the local riparian and natural corridors found within the area. That year, the city commissioned a park master plan, and through a citizen-based planning process led by Ecos Environmental Design, the Greenprints Project Master Plan was created. It was adopted by the city council in 2008 as part of the Comprehensive Town Plan 2030.

The plan was so comprehensive that the Georgia Urban Forestry Council awarded it the 2008 “Outstanding Greenspace Plan,” and the Georgia Planning Association honored it as the “Best Planning Process – Small Community” the same year.

The goal of the Greenprints project is to essentially connect people with nature. The trail system provides connections between neighborhoods and public places such as schools and shopping centers, so it provides alternative transportation to places people actually want to go. It also creates new parks and greenspaces. And unlike with other trails, people who use them do not have to drive to the trailheads and park their cars; there are connection points everywhere. The trail system’s multi-use and mountain-bike trails also connect with existing trails throughout the county and even beyond.

Besides encouraging outdoor recreation, the trail system has an additional potential benefit. A study done by Furman University on a trail system in South Carolina showed that businesses within 250 yards of the completed trails experienced an uptick in sales of 30% to 85%.

Placing trails and building creek overpasses is expensive, so in 2009, the Greenprints Alliance was formed to help provide continual funding the project. The non-profit organization’s goal is to raise $100,000 each year through public and private funding sources. The biggest fundraiser for the trail system is the annual Trailfest event, which attracts 2,000 people. The event includes a 5k race, a one-mile fun run, a mountain-biking event, live music, food, and beer.

Woodstock residents are making full use of the completed areas. A Greenprints walking club meets weekly, as does a Greenprints running club. In the summer, there is a summer workout series on Saturday mornings, offering classes such as boot camp, Vinyasa flow yoga, kickboxing, and training workouts. People use the trails to commute to work and, of course, to exercise.

Much has been completed, but there is more to be done. As each new segment of trail is finished, a ground-breaking ceremony is held. Then, the attention turns to the next trail segment on the list. Little by little, Woodstock, Georgia, is getting an amazing and beautiful trail system.