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Residents pushing Mecklenburg County leaders for more greenways

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Dozens of families gathered in Plaza Midwood on Sunday to push for more greenways throughout Mecklenburg County.

Channel 9 learned that the county is far off its goal to expand the greenway system.

On Earth Day, families walked what is called a “dirtway” where the Briar Creek Greenway was supposed to have been expanded by now, but county leaders delayed the project.

Advocates said by 2018, the county had planned to have 129 miles of greenways, but right now, there's only 47 miles scattered throughout the county.

Rick Winiker, who works with the organization “Greenways for Mecklenburg” and advises the county commission on parks and recreation, said he wants to see Mecklenburg County connected through greenways.

"At the current pace of construction, a completed greenway network won't be finished for another 40 to 50 years,” Winiker said.

Winiker and others are now pushing county leaders for a 200-mile greenway network to be finished by 2035.

“It's important to me personally because I prefer to walk or ride a bike than drive, but it's more important to me because I believe that we need to provide for our children and our grandchildren,” Mecklenburg County resident Nancy Pierce said.

In 2008, voters approved bonds for greenway expansion, but because of the recession, the county never actually bought the bonds.

Now, these advocates are urging commissioners to use county tax revenue before land needed to expand gets too expensive.

"We need to urge [county commissioners] to prioritize this,” Pierce said. "We think it's a worthwhile investment."

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have a new plan to keep people safe on the greenway system by launching

a new division that will partner with park rangers to patrol the 43 miles of greenways.

A new app will also help officers pinpoint each other's locations, which they said will save time in an emergency.