From the Mayor’s Desk
If you’ve been looking for a reason to get out, connect with neighbors, and hear what’s going on in Natchez, next Wednesday night provides a perfect opportunity! The Natchez-Adams County Community Alliance is hosting a stakeholder meeting and fundraiser on April 29 at the Natchez Brewing Co. beginning at 6 p.m. It’s a chance to get a firsthand update on projects that are moving from ideas to reality—and to play a role in helping them get there.
A big part of the conversation will center on a new multi-use trail project almost complete at Duncan Park, including a two-mile recreational bike trail designed to welcome everyone from cyclists to those just needing a new place to walk outdoors in a beautiful setting. This project carries a total cost of $110,000, with about 80 percent funded by the City of Natchez through a grant we received from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Recreational Trails Program. The remaining 20 percent is coming from private donations, orchestrated by the Community Alliance, giving the community a direct stake in making it happen.
This beautiful trail will wind along the western edge of our city’s largest park, adding another layer to a historic jewel of Natchez that already serves as one of our community’s most active recreational hubs.
Under the majestic live oaks, a lot has been happening at Duncan Park. From golf and baseball to tennis, pickleball, and disc golf, the park has long been a place where people gather to have fun and stay active. With walking trails and new playgrounds already in place, in addition to new bathrooms, a renovated golf clubhouse and park pavilion, renovated ball fields, and tennis and pickleball courts (including two new ones), Duncan Park has been in a state of great renewal. The addition of this new trail is yet another way to help Duncan Park meet the needs of our citizens and visitors alike.
The design is intentionally flexible. Yes, it will be a great ride for cyclists, but it will also be ideal for hikers, cross-country runners, bird watchers, and anyone looking for a peaceful way to spend time outside. Even more exciting, the trail is being built to standards set by the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), which will position Natchez to host mountain biking competitions in the future!
But the trails project is only part of the story.
Also in the works is a new dog park within Duncan Park—another project the Community Alliance has taken the lead on. While the trail has secured significant grant funding, the dog park will rely much more heavily on local support, with funds raised by the C.A. The vision is simple: a safe, welcoming space where residents and visitors can bring their dogs to play, exercise, and socialize. It’s another way to make the park more inclusive and responsive to what our people want and need.
The Natchez-Adams County Community Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has been instrumental in pushing both projects forward. Their role is to work alongside community members and organizations to identify needs and help turn good ideas into tangible improvements. Whether it’s trails, parks, or other quality-of-life projects, this all-volunteer organization has been, for many years, at the forefront of numerous Natchez projects. Community assets such as the Bridge of Sighs with its commanding views of the Mississippi River, our Natchez Trails throughout downtown, St. Catherine Street and along the bluff, and our renovated Historic Bandstand in Bluff Park wouldn’t exist without them.
For those who want to be a part of this effort, providing your support is easy. Donations can be made online by visiting natchezcommunityalliance.org, clicking on the “Donate” section, and selecting “Duncan Park Trails Project” under the project menu. Contributions toward the dog park can also be made through the same platform.
Please make plans to join us Wednesday night at the Natchez Brewing Co. It will be a great opportunity to enjoy time with friends as well as hear what’s coming, ask questions, and take part in shaping the future of Duncan Park. Progress like this doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when people show up, stay engaged, and invest in the place they call home. It takes all of us working together. Because Natchez Deserves More.
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