City Commission Supports Plan to Create Tugalo River Water Trail

Toccoa City Commissioners have approved a plan for members of the Stephens County Foundation to join with a Statewide water trail initiative.

At their regular meeting this month, Commissioners heard from Tim Hale about the plan to raise the County’s tourism.

Hale said the Georgia River Network is looking for groups to join them to promote water quality and water use.

“They have decided that if you have fun, people will be interested,” Hale said. “So, they have come up with a Georgia Water Trails network statewide for communities to participate in and have groups like ours support a water trail of some sort.”

Hale said joining with them would be a good way to give Stephens County and all it has to offer more visibility.

Hale says the Foundation has come up with a plan to connect with the Georgia River Network.

“What we are proposing is to put together a water trail that goes from Walker Creek boat landing down to Stephens County Park on US123. And we already put-in facilities there. They’re not as nice as they could be up at Walker Creek but we can get by with it and get it started,” Hale explained.

Hale said support from the City and County for joining the Georgia River Network Website would help them expand the water trail.

“And I think with the leverage from the Georgia Water Trails network and from supporters like you and the County and the Chamber, we’ll be able to leverage that into some updated facilities there and maybe even expand the trail up to Yonah Dam,” he said.

After hearing from Hale, the Board voted unanimously to write a letter to the Georgia River Network in support of joining their network.

Stephens County and the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber have also written letters of support for the plan.