On Thursday afternoon outside the Nancy Guinn Library, Conyers Mayor Randy Mills, and PATH Foundation officials and State Sen. Ronald Ramsey were joined by cyclists, runners and walkers of all ages to dedicate and celebrate the completion of the Olde Town Conyers portion of the PATH Trail.

The 10-foot-wide path is a 1.7 mile trail beginning at the library and continuing over the Parker Road Bridge to Flat Shoals Road.

“This trail is a great asset to Conyers and Rockdale County providing another mode of transportation and connectivity from north to south of Conyers,” said Mayor Mills. According to Councilman and Transportation Chair Vince Evans the trail will eventually continue through the back entrance of the Rockdale Career Academy and link up to Johnson Park. “We want you to be motivated and inspired by this, but it’s not enough. You want more. Once the Johnson Park trail joins the South River Trail at the Monastery you can get on a bike here and ride all the way into Alabama,” said Evans. He pointed out the economic benefit of “bringing people in to see what we have in our fair community.”

Executive Director of the PATH Foundation Ed McBrayer lauded the support of Daniel Digby, Conyers Downtown Development Authority Vice-Chair and Conyers SPLOST Committee member, SPLOST funding, the city and county government and property owners giving right of way for trail construction.

“We formed a public private partnership rivaling any in the state… we sat at a table and decided who was going to put up how much money and do what, and it actually happened that way and  we got a good product out of it,” McBrayer said, “Trails really knit communities together giving people a place to socialize…making a healthier community and property values.”

Digby added,” I’m very appreciative to the mayor and council for taking many of our visions and making it a reality.”

The Pave the Path 10K/2K Run/Walk and Metric Century events begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 21. For more information, visit www.conyerspavethepath.com