In response to a number of attacks on users of the ATT over the last year, a Durham-based group, District 3 Partners Against Crime, is now spearheading a “Walk the Trails with a Friend Day” community event. The group’s goal is to get neighborhoods along the trail to participate in a day of walking that will culminate in a gathering downtown. Plans and a specific date are being worked on as of mid-August. Please see an August 19th article in the Durham News http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/19/2277940/group-to-rally-for-american-tobacco.html for background on this group and the current views of Durham’s police officials. We’ll be following this development and provide updates as they become public.
August 26 Update/Corrected Date: Walk the Trail With A Friend Day will be held on Saturday September 22nd from 9am to 7pm. This walk is a community response event, not affiliated with the City or County of Durham. It will be a day when concerned citizens take a stand against crime – responding to the recent concern for everyone’s safety on the trail. EVERYONE is encouraged to bring their friends, family and pets. It is a day for families, bikers and walkers of all ages. Come and spend time enjoying our beautiful American Tobacco Trail. Bring your bikes, trikes and sneakers; enjoy a stroll or get some exercise.
See Event Flyer http://www.triangletrails.org/pdfs/WalkDayFinalD2.pdf
September 2 Update: City Councilman Steve Schewel is inviting walkers/runners to converge on the American Tobacco Trail on Tuesday evenings (I’m sure cyclists, skaters, etc. are also welcome!). Here’s his message:
“Let’s take the trail back by running it together in the evenings. To that end, I’m going to be running five miles on the trail each Tuesday evening for the next three weeks, and I invite Forest Hills neighbors and others to run it with me. (No one has to run the whole five miles, of course. Any distance, running or walking, will do.) We’ll meet at the head of the trail, Mile 0, and run south for 2.5 miles and then back to the start. That will take us past Fayetteville St. and thus twice (coming and going) through the area where there have been the most problems with crime on the trail of late. Here are the days and times I will run:
Tuesday, September 4, at 5:00 PM
Tuesday, September 11, at 6:30 PM
Tuesday, September 18, at 6:00 PM”
September 10 Update Durham Police Boost Presence on the ATT
A September 9th article in The Durham News http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/09/05/2319568/durham-police-put-utvs-on-trail.html reports recent arrests connected with the trail assaults and the acquisition of three utility-terrain vehicles for use on the ATT and Durham’s other greenways. Deputy Chief Larry Smith said police have conducted more than 200 “directed patrols” on sections of the trail in recent weeks.
