The first three legs of the Sugar Loop Greenway are scheduled for completion in 2017, and residents got a chance Tuesday afternoon to see the area where the first portions of the new trail will sit.
The trail will navigate the hilly terrain near Gwinnett Church and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard toward Whitehead Road, passing by one of the city's old, abandoned gold mines.
"I like to do some biking (and) running, and I think it's awesome to have that, especially here in Sugar Hill," said Michael Sapp, a Sugar Hill resident.
Sapp frequently travels away from Sugar Hill to utilize multi-use trails, like the Suwanee Creek Greenway, and he said he's happy that he will have a trail in his own backyard in the near future.
City leaders are still working to determine some of the detail work associated with the greenway, like signage, or trail features such as bike repair stations, water fountains and safety call boxes.
"The most exciting part has been the positive feedback that we've received from the community. My wife and I, we love to be outdoors, and we travel to a lot of other communities that have hiking trails and greenways. We're just excited to bring that here to our city," said Brandon Hembree, Sugar Hill city councilman.
The trail is expected to be asphalt as it passes through the woods, and concrete whenever it approaches roadways.
Eventually, it will circle the city in a loop of at least 14 miles, though the exact distance has yet to be determined, as planners determine how best to navigate the terrain.
"It's going to make (Sugar Hill) more of a family environment, and attract more people to come to the city," said Sapp, who said he would most like to see city leaders add emergency call boxes and water fountains to the trail.
Planners are hoping to connect many of the city's existing parks and green spaces with the Sugar Loop Greenway.
