Gastonia considers connecting downtown to Crowders Mountain

GASTONIA, N.C. — The City of Gastonia is considering a plan that would connect its downtown to a popular hiking destination. Gastonia is one of 19 communities across the state that was awarded money to study new paved trails, greenways, and sidewalks.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation awarded $103,000 to the city to conduct a feasibility study.

The paths that are being studied would link downtown Gastonia to Crowders Mountain, which is between Kings Mountain and Gastonia.

Channel 9′s Gaston County reporter Ken Lemon learned the trail would not only benefit hikers trying to get to the mountain but local businesses as well.

Fannie Cakes Café is two blocks away from the proposed trail.

Owner Stephanie Roundtree heard about plans for a feasibility study. “I thought it was awesome. That’s going to bring more people around here,” she said.

Roundtree said most of her business comes from repeat customers and walk-in customers are only about 25% of her sales. She believes the trail will bring in more foot traffic.

“I think I could see about 65% of that,” she said.

The Carolina Thread Trail is working with the city on the proposal.

Jane Love of the Carolina Thread Trail said the proposal meets NCDOT’s plans for trails throughout the state. “One goal of that plan is to connect state parks to population centers,” Love said.

Love believes the project could drive more people to an underserved part of Gastonia.

However, nothing will happen quickly. A spokesperson for the Thread Trail said it will take a year to finish the feasibility study then at least two years to start work on small segments and 5 to 10 years to complete the path from the mountain to the city.

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