MACON, Ga. — NewTown Macon says the $1 million they received to extend the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail is not just for recreation, but it will also connect communities.
Their new trail plan will connect the Pleasant Hill neighborhood's Linear Park to downtown Macon.
Historic Pleasant Hill's roots are old, but its people are still here.
"1879, and we believe in it," said Greg Wiley. "However, we have seen a lot of changes."
Now considered a low-income area with blighted homes, Greg Wiley remembers his neighborhood differently.
"Pleasant Hill was the richest black community in Macon," he said.
She's been here for 65 years, Lucille Williams agrees that the community was successful.
"They had hospitals, libraries, colleges, and doctors. Everything you needed in the Pleasant Hill community until they split apart," she explained.
In the 60s, the state cleared away Pleasant Hill homes to build I-75, dividing the neighborhood in two.
Williams says she remembers it.
"They had to build a bridge for us to walk across because they were doing the interstate. At the time, I didn't understand because I was so young what was going on," she said.
The split wasn't only physical.
"It made people think, 'Well, you ain't from this side, you're from that side of Pleasant Hill,' and that's what the split kind of did," Williams explained.
After that, they say the neighborhood changed.
"I don't know how we're gonna show the children our rememberings if they keep taking it away," Wiley said.
NewTown Macon CEO Josh Rogers says they got $1 million from the Knight Foundation to extend the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail a mile from Pleasant Hill to downtown Macon. They say it'll connect the neighborhoods two halves in a way.
"That's where we'll hit Walnut Street, so you'll have a seamless transition in both directions on sidewalks and bike lanes that go to Vineville and to downtown and connect into Linear Park that goes through Pleasant Hill," Rodgers said. "Pleasant Hill is poised for a major comeback."
That's because he says these trails connect communities.
"The purpose of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail is to give the community a chance to connect to each other. When we connect to each other, we get to know each other; when we get to know each other, we get things done."
Why connect Pleasant Hill?
Rogers says it's an important part of Macon's history.
"Segregation ended 70 years ago, but we haven't finished with integration. The more we offer people opportunities to bike and bike in beautiful and safe spaces, the better it is in the future of revitalization for the whole city," Rogers explained.
He says they currently don't have plans on what the trails will look like because they wanted the community's feedback first.
"It's got to be based deeply in understanding, appreciating, validating, and listening to the neighbors that are already there. August 24th, we had the first event, right where we're standing on 2nd Avenue, to invite the neighbors to come talk to the neighbors," he said. "From there, we're gonna respond to the neighborhood's concerns about exactly what plans take shape."
That's what Pleasant Hill wants.
"This is our home," Wiley says. "Leave it alone or kind of rebuild it like it was."
"People will get to see what the community is all about, and then with them coming, they'll see what's really needed. They'll get to see the Walnut Street area, what needs to be fixed up because this historical area, right here, needs to stay on top," said Williams.
Rogers says they want to complete the plans for the trail's route by the end of the year.
He says they want to respect their concerns, like avoiding clearing more Pleasant Hill homes to make space for the trail.