The Paulding County Board of Commissioners announced on Mar. 25 that it has submitted an application for funding under the Georgia Recreational Trails Program to support new trails at Richland Creek Reservoir park. The board has advanced to the second level of the application process and is seeking input from both private sector stakeholders and the general public.
The proposed project would create four miles of recreational trails as part of Phase 1 of the Richland Creek Master Plan. The board said it encourages citizens to participate in developing this program, inviting comments, concerns, or requests for a public hearing regarding the trail project. Interested parties are asked to submit written feedback or requests within fourteen days from publication.
The county’s population continues to grow, with enrollment at Paulding County schools increasing by 1.3% in the 2022-23 school year compared to the previous year, according to data from the Georgia Department of Education. During that same period, local schools enrolled a total of 31,332 students according to state figures.
Demographic information shows that white students made up half of Paulding County’s student body in 2022-23 according to state education data, while black students were the second most represented group at 30% as reported by state records. Hispanic students accounted for 12% and multiracial students made up about six percent during this time frame according to official statistics.
If no response is received within fourteen days, officials say they will proceed with their application submission to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Residents may contact Amy Scheid in Finance or Rebecca Merideth in the County Clerk’s office with questions or comments about this initiative.
