July 2024: A Message from Our Director

In 2024, the Wolf River Conservancy got $10.3M for the Greenway, and then $21.8M RAISE funds for construction in North Memphis. Exciting times ahead!Dear Wolf River Conservancy Friend,

2024 will be remembered as a historic year for the Wolf River Conservancy and the Wolf River Greenway project. In January, the Conservancy received a $10.3 million-dollar legislative disbursement through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) to build out 3.9 miles of the greenway that we call the critical link connecting Kennedy Park to the Shelby Farms Greenline.  

Shortly after the award of TDEC funding, the Conservancy alongside the City of Memphis submitted a grant request to the US Department of Transportation through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program for $21.8 million dollars. In late June we received word that the project was funded, and the city would be awarded the full amount for the Greenway project!  

This RAISE grant will fund construction costs for two remaining sections of the Greenway in historically disadvantaged communities in North Memphis. The project will navigate over and under major transit infrastructure (a railroad and state highway) that are barriers to parks, neighborhoods, and everyday destinations. The true value of the Greenway is reflected in these sections as they represent not only high-quality recreational opportunities, but they reduce the potential for pedestrian traffic fatalities and provide a safe and affordable transportation corridor for residents in lieu of cars.

These RAISE funds are the culmination of years of hard work by so many in the community who care about green spaces and Greenway access in Memphis. Our partners at the city of Memphis, Parks director Nick Walker and Mayor Paul Young were instrumental in their advocacy for the project. Our congressional representative, Steve Cohen has been a long-time supporter of the Wolf River Greenway and was an important voice in communicating the value of the project to the Department of Transportation. And finally, all of you. The folks who use the Greenway every day and support the conservancy in our mission to build a world class Greenway system for the city of Memphis.  

With so much important work ahead, it is an exciting time for the Wolf River Conservancy.  As construction on the critical link and RAISE sections begin later this year please stay tuned to our social media and this space for updates.