Dunn Creek Greenway
Location
This trail begins at the Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road, and runs north to the pedestrian culvert under NC-98 Bypass/Dr. Calvin Jones Highway.
Trail Type
Paved and boardwalk trail
Length
1.0 mile
Parking
Parking is available at the Smith Creek Soccer Center, 690 Heritage Lake Road
Amenities
A playground, picnic shelter and parking are located within the park. Portable restrooms are also available.
History
In 2005, area voters approved $500,000 in bond proceeds for trail construction. Wake Forest also received $450,000 for the project from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A 1 mile segment of greenway trail from the Smith Creek Soccer Center to the NC 98/Dr Calvin Jones Highway was completed in 2012.
Greenway users have the opportunity to experience views of aquatic and wetland life along portions of Smith Creek and Hatters Branch as well as enjoy the shade of dense evergreen and deciduous forests.
Tom Stoddard memorial benches were installed in the spring 2013. Mr. Stoddard was an advocate for the Wake Forest greenways and devoted many hours to keeping the Dunn Creek Greenway looking it's best even when it was under construction. After his passing in 2013, Mr. Stoddard's family wanted to honor his memory by placing benches along the Dunn Creek Greenway.
In 2011 the Town was awarded a grant for design, ROW acquisition, and construction for Dunn Creek Greenway Phase II - Downtown Connector. This new segment add 0.3 miles to the northern portion of Dunn Creek Greenway. It provides connections to Deacons Ridge, Cardinal Park and easy access to downtown Wake Forest. Construction was completed in September 2017 and this segment is now open for public use.
Phase III
This project would link with the Downtown Connector and extend the Dunn Creek Greenway 1.9 miles north to Oak Grove Church Road.
Phase IV
This project would complete 1.2 miles of greenway from Oak Grove Church Road to Flaherty Park and Sedgefield subdivision.