Fayetteville has been selected as a participant in a federal partnership to promote outdoor recreation.
Fayetteville is among 25 communities nationwide selected for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program.
The program is intended to help Fayetteville plan for a new influx of visitors to the nearby New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
National Park Service numbers show an increase in visitors since the New River Gorge became a national park in December 2020.
Participating communities will build new trail systems, improve access to main streets, increase access to outdoor activities and clean up and repurpose vacant buildings.
Other selected communities in the region include South Point and Coshocton, Ohio; Brunswick, Maryland; Buchanan and Buena Vista, Virginia; and Jenkins and McKee, Kentucky.