In mid-October the Delta Bridge Project began working with the community to develop a Trails and Greenways Master Plan (Tourism Goal 7, Action Step A). Funded by a $105,130 Delta Bridge Project grant, the plan will outline the design of a trails and greenways system that will physically connect Helena’s tourism features, including key Civil War Helena sites, Historic Downtown, and Helena River Park. The firm leading the project, Alta Planning & Design, is the same group leading the development of the regional trails system in northwest Arkansas.

Once the plan is complete, the construction of the trail project will be broken up into several phases. Phase One will be a two-mile stretch connecting the Civil War Helena anchor sites of Fort Curtis, Estevan Hall and Freedom Park with the downtown. Completion of this phase is targeted for 2013.