In 2002, the City of Carrollton partnered with a small group of citizens to create a Green space program for the community.  During the meetings, the committee, made up of representatives from the Planning Department, the Recreation Department and local citizens, recognized an opportunity to create a greenbelt, or multi-use path, around the city that would connect four schools, several commercial areas, and many of the existing neighborhoods.  The committee formalized this proposal by creating a 30-year implementation plan to build a 14-mile multi-use trail that could be used for recreation and non-motorized transportation by everyone in the community.  The 30-year plan was a requirement by the state; hopefully, the plans will be implemented over a much shorter period.  
 

Since the development of the concept in 2002, the Mayor and Council, city staff, and community activists have participated in a fundraising effort to kick-off the Greenbelt Program.  The Mayor and Council purchased (using state Green space allocation funds) a 26-acre tract on Hays Mill Road adjacent to Buffalo Creek.  The Recreation Department secured a $100,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant for developing trails and hard scaping on this tract, as this property will serve as Phase I for the Carrollton Greenbelt and will connect Hays Mill Road with the City of Carrollton School Campus.  Also, since the development of the concept, federal and state grants have been awarded for the project in excess of one million dollars.