(Roanoke County, VA – December 4, 2019) A new Roanoke Valley Greenways (RVG) website is coming soon thanks to a grant from the American Electric Power Foundation. At the December 4th Joint Meeting of the Greenway Commission and Pathfinders for Greenways, Appalachian Power presented a check on behalf of the AEP Foundation for $30,000 to “power” the development of a sleek, modern website that will feature robust interactive maps.
This redesign of www.greenways.org is intended to attract new users to regional greenways and help longtime users discover new greenways and trailheads. The project, scheduled to go live in the spring of 2020, requires significant funding to update maps and replace an existing site that has become outdated. The new site will share important information about the greenway network like route characteristics and changes, nearby amenities and volunteer opportunities.
Appalachian Power is passionate about being involved in the communities where their employees work and live. The AEP Foundation, funded by AEP and its utility operating units, including Appalachian Power, provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP. Information about AEP’s community impact is available at www.aep.com/community.
“Our greenways are a tremendous asset to our community,” said Larry Jackson, Appalachian Power external affairs director. “We’re grateful to have this opportunity to partner with the Roanoke Valley Greenways to make more people aware of our community’s network of greenways and trails.”
Appalachian Power in Virginia has a long history of environmental stewardship and of supporting non-profits in the Roanoke region. This has been exemplified in the past by race and event sponsorships and by contributions to projects such as development of the Tinker Creek canoe and kayak launch on the Roanoke River in Vinton.
RVG began as an initiative of citizens devoted to making the Valley a better place to live. The greenway program is multi-jurisdictional, including the City of Roanoke, Roanoke County, the City of Salem, the Town of Vinton, and Botetourt County. The Greenway Commission is an advisory board that helps facilitate coordinated direction and guidance in the planning, development, and maintenance of greenways, and Pathfinders for Greenways is a non-profit that coordinates volunteers to assist with trail building and greenway maintenance, raises money through donations and grants, and sponsors greenway promotional efforts.