Residents in Dawson County will soon have another safe place to walk, run and enjoy nature.

Dawson County and the city of Dawsonville are working jointly on an application for a $100,000 grant from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to provide facilities close to a soon-to-be-built 1.8 mile nature trail.

If approved the grant means a pavilion and restrooms would be added near the entrance of the trail.

The trail will begin at the back of Veterans Park (see map) and extend to the corner of Burts Creek Rd. and Shoal Creek Rd. and include a new sidewalk along Burts Creek Rd.

Construction of an asphalt or concrete trail is expected to begin in Feb. 2013 and is funded through a Transportation Enhancement Grant, which comes from the Federal Highway Administration through GDOT.

The trail will be under a canopy of trees which is unlike anything the county currently has, explained County Engineering Director, Corey Gutherie. It will be really unique to our community.

County Commission Chair, Mike Berg, said the county has been working on trails for a few years.

It really adds to what we already have, Berg said. Its a good walk-scape. This shows the ability of the county and city to work together for the good of all our citizens.

Berg added that he expects to hear from DNR about the grant sometime in December or January. Additionally, he noted the pavilion and restrooms would be on county land, and that he will work with the city for a parking area close to the pavilion, which is on city property. County Attorney Joey Homans is drafting agreements.

Separately, the City of Dawsonville announced at its Nov. 13 meeting that it recently received a $300,000 matching grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to upgrade the citys sewer and water treatment facilities.

We are looking at future growth and our infrastructure has to be in place to make that happen, said Mayor James Grogan.

Grogan noted that the city recently purchased a machine used to paint stripes on roads. Any business located on city roads can have their stripes re-painted provided they pay for the paint.

The city will provide the labor and machinery, Grogan said.

Also at the Nov. 13 meeting, new council members Angie Smith and Mike Sosebee were sworn into office. Both will serve until the next election takes place in Nov. 2013. They are filling the unexpired terms of James Grogan and Calvin Byrd who, by law, were required to resign their seats to run for mayor.