The Great Outdoors: Part 1

I THINK I’LL GO FOR A WALK OUTSIDE NOW

BY HANNAH HERNER

Even under Tennessee’s stay-at-home order, walking outside is allowed. And Davidson County’s Greenways are designed for just that. Walkers, bikers, strollers and dogs can continue to share these trails as long as a six foot physical distance is maintained.

For the first part in a series on getting outside during the pandemic, we talked with Cindy Harrison, assistant director for Metro Parks, about staying safe while getting the most enjoyment out of Nashville’s greenways.

What are the characteristics of a greenway?

Cindy Harrison: They are mostly paved, they are multi-use and they’re off-street. So the idea is to get people away from vehicular traffic, to make it safer and more enjoyable, to increase green space in the city, and to make really meaningful connections. So we connect parks to neighborhoods, to commercial areas, dog parks, access to rivers for kayaking. We connect neighborhoods to schools, playgrounds, nature centers, picnic areas. It really brings people to areas you wouldn’t see if you were in a car — natural areas. Wildlife is abundant across the greenways. If you were just in your car, you would miss a lot of this.

What are the safety guidelines we should follow during COVID-19?

If the trail is crowded, try to come at

a different time, or maybe find another place to walk if you can’t maintain that six feet distance. If you have a pet, keep it on a short leash. One important thing is if you’re passing someone — whether you’re on foot or on a bike — call out, so that if you need to step aside, or maybe you have to take longer to pass somebody, you can make sure it’s safe. Just take those extra precautions. Bathrooms and water fountains most likely won’t be available, so take care of that before you leave the house. Just try to be respectful. Maybe we’re all slowing down a little bit, just to accommodate.

How extensive are the greenway trails?

We have right at 100 miles of greenway trails, and they’re spread out across the county. Initially, they were based on the eight main waterways in Davidson County: Mill Creek, Harpeth River, Stones River, Seven Mile Creek, Cumberland River (and that includes Shelby Bottoms), White’s Creek, Brown’s Creek, and Richland Creek. And in addition to that, we started doing urban greenways as well. So we have the 440 Greenway and the Gulch Greenway downtown.

Do you have a favorite greenway? What are some hidden gems?

I love the Cumberland River Pedestrian Bridge. It’s such a beautiful vista. You

can see downtown, you have the natural beauty of the river. Mill Creek Greenway has a lot of wildlife, and it’s in the middle of neighborhoods, so that’s pretty amazing! I also love the Gulch Greenway, and especially once we complete it. It’s such a vibrant downtown area that it’s a lot of fun to be on that trail. And we’re really trying to increase the green space in the urban areas with so much development going on. I guess there’s not a single greenway that I don’t like. They’re all hidden gems, really. You can get out and feel like you’re in the middle of nature and you’re really just a mile away from neighborhoods and the city.

How have parks and greenways come into play with the stay-at-home order?

I think people are feeling very cooped up. If you can’t get out and see your friends or do the normal things you want to do, but if you need to get out of the house, they’re a great resource. They’re a great resource for mental health as well as physical health. You can be on the greenway and maintain your safe distance, but still see people, and feel like you’re not isolated.

More information, including maps, visit greenwaysfornashville.org