Pedal Power
New Greenway extension on Ballantyne® Campus lures cyclists of all ages
By Nan Bauroth | Photos by Megan Cantrell, Milk + Honey Photography
On a bike, every mile is a smile — or so say those who love to go places on two wheels. Thanks to the new greenway extension on the Ballantyne campus, local cyclists now have a whole world of happy trails open to them.
As part of the Ballantyne Reimagined master plan, bikers can access the Ballantyne® campus from the Lower McAlpine Creek, McMullen Creek and Four Mile Creek Greenway. Thanks to Northwood Office and Mecklenburg County, the popular Lower McAlpine Greenway now connects to Ballantyne Corporate Place, enhancing accessibility to The Bowl at Ballantyne™, The Amp Ballantyne™, Stream Park, and more than 20 miles of walking paths and bike lanes. To encourage pedaling on campus, all office buildings, various parks and The Bowl have bike racks.
Sabina Ikromi and her two daughters, ages 9 and 7, who live in Towerview Ballantyne, are already taking advantage of this new cycling opportunity. “We love it,” she says. “The greenway has no cars, no traffic lights, so it is safe, and since it was built for biking or running, it has all smooth paths. The connector offers us miles of beautiful nature, flowers and birds chirping.”
AJ Farooqi, a cycling enthusiast from the Kensington neighborhood, loves exploring Charlotte on his bike. But the new Greenway connector has really revved up his wheels. “No more dodging cars for me,” he cheers. “Now I can pedal around the Ballantyne campus from start to finish, cruising under I-485, with wide, well-kept trails and cool creek crossings — all while watching those speedy cars whiz by overhead.”
For him, the connector is a game-changer, opening up new avenues of enjoyment. “I can zip from home to uptown, grab breakfast and zip back. Or I can take a scenic ride to Trader Joe’s for groceries, then back for a cozy coffee and morning meditation right here in Ballantyne. Life’s just better on two wheels.”
Carolyn and Randy Johnson, residents of the Blakeney area and experienced mountain bikers who travel the world to cycle, are equally excited about the greenway connector that Northwood completed. “What’s really cool is that we can now ride from our house up to the bike lanes along Ballantyne Commons all the way to Community House Road, do a loop down that way to Pike’s Nursery and loop back up,” Carolyn says, adding, “Now that they have also opened up those new roads within the Ballantyne campus, we can ride all through the Ballantyne campus as well.”