(Courtesy photo from City of Longview – https://longviewtexas.gov/4299/Sabine-River-Water-Trail)
The flow’s steadily picking up speed for a developing paddle trail on the Sabine River.
Gregg County Commissioners last week accepted the draft of a year-long study on the project then voted to move forward with a grant application for Texas Parks & Wildlife funding. Sabine River Authority’s already put up $75,000 for the developing effort that’s brought together five communities along 40-plus river miles in Gregg County.
Gladewater City Manager Charlie Smith was one of the local city officials who addressed commissioners ahead of their vote.
“It was good to see all the communities along the corridor active and involved and supporting it,” Smith said, “and that the county’s supporting it. Everybody’s trying to work together to make it happen, make it a success.”
The project currently involves Gladewater (at the westernmost point of the trail in Gregg County), White Oak, Longview, Kilgore and Lakeport.
According to City of Longview Community Relations Manager Shawn Hara, the TPW grant process kicks off in February. If successful, those funds will help add multiple paddling access points along the river in addition to existing spots in Gladewater and Lakeport.
“It may be possible that you add full boat ramps as part of that,” he noted. “What we’ve prioritized is Hwy. 42 as well as one near FM 2087, approximately eight miles upriver from lakeport. It’d be great to add additional access points in between.
“Part of the long-term plan is to see if we can add an access point in Easton as well which will be downriver from Lakeport.”
It’s encouraging to see all the communities getting on-board, Hara added, connected as they are by the river between them. He’s grateful for the county’s backing.
“Each individual city that’s involved, five of us, we pledged $1,000 to get this ball rolling,” Smith said, “and the county’s picking up the balance on that for the grant funding.” He hopes to see the project at full speed within a year-and-a-half, but the timeline’s still being developed: “We are excited as a community about the paddle trail coming in,” especially with Gladewater at the head of the route.
“I’ve talked to the council about it, and everybody’s excited about this opportunity. I think it’s going to benefit our community locally and our county as a whole.”
It’s a lot of River, he added, and grant funding from TPW, Sabine River Authority and others will go a long way toward getting more landing areas in place on what is currently private property.
Funds are also in use to prepare local rescuers for expanded efforts on the river.
“We’ve been building the water rescue team,” Gladewater Fire Chief Mike Simmons noted, training for the implementation of the paddle trail and the additional river traffic it will bring. “We’ve got some other equipment coming in, and we’ve partnered with Sabine River Authority to purchase more equipment and safely patrol the river to perform more rescues as needed.”