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GREENSBORO — A hundred years ago, the city put on a whiz-bang whingding to mark its 100th birthday.

For a week, thousands gathered downtown to hear speeches by presidential candidates, watch parades and gawk at illuminated decorations.

But when the celebration ended, nothing remained to commemorate the event.

Organizers of the city's 200th birthday, planned for next spring, won't make the same mistake. They're pushing a project that could affect the city for a century to come.

The Greensboro Bicentennial Commission has adopted the development of the Downtown Greenway, a 4.2-mile recreational loop around the center city, as its commemorative project.

"The commission wanted to make a significant gift to the city — something that would be of value to many of our residents for many years to come," said Zana Wall, executive director of the bicentennial commission. "(We wanted) something that is really lasting."

Numerous details of the project need to be worked out, including cost, financing and how the greenway will cross busy streets.

But organizers say they're confident the project soon will move from lines on a map to a multimillion-dollar, multiyear creation.

"I think it is imminently doable," said Trip Brown, co-chairman of a greenway steering committee set up by Action Greensboro, the nonprofit that is driving development of the project. "One way or the other, we are going to get it done."

The greenway, first proposed in 2001 as part of a downtown master plan, will be a linear park around the central business district. It will feature a path for walking, biking and running, plus benches, lights, landscaping, directional signs and public art.

In some places, it could be no more than 12 feet wide; in others, it could expand into parks.

"The options are wide open," said A. Robinson Hassell, a member of the bicentennial commission. "When you are talking about doing something on this scale, it is something that is a fairly big leap. But it is a leap that is worth taking."

Ground breaking for the first section, which will run 1,800 feet along the northern edge of the Warnersville neighborhood south of Lee Street, will be held next spring during the city's official bicentennial observance. Construction will begin later in 2008.

"Once that first link is in place, we will have ... a sort of a template," Hassell said. "It will provide a how-to as we move forward and work with other neighborhoods."

Organizers say the trail will link more than a dozen neighborhoods around downtown, improve people's health, illustrate the city's history and culture, tie into the rest of Greensboro's 84-mile trail system and boost economic development along its path.

They also say the greenway will be another way for the city to deal with one of its shortcomings — attracting and keeping young people.

"I think it is the kind of thing young people are looking for in their city," Brown said. "I think it is almost critical that we show young people we (know) that this kind of thing is important and we're going to provide it."

Organizers also say the greenway will give the city a distinctive feature. They know of only one other U.S. city that plans a trail around its downtown. Construction of the 7.5-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail began in April.

Early cost estimates put the price at between $20 million and $40 million. It could take up to 10 years to build.

A funding plan should be completed next year. Money would come from public and private sources and grants.

Already, the project has received a $500,000 planning grant from the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation and a $60,000 construction grant from the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund.

Although the bicentennial commission calls the greenway its commemorative gift, that does not mean the 30-member group will pay for the project.

The commission expects to provide some money, but its role to date has been to help spur the project forward.

"Since the bicentennial commission chose this project, we have been gearing up again," said Brett Wylie, director of landscape architecture for Cooper Carry in Atlanta, the company that created the downtown master plan. "Now ... we are adding reality, basically."

Organizers expect they will have to buy very little land to build the greenway. Much of it would travel along city-owned property. In other areas, they could get right of way.

That's the case with the greenway's first section. It would run from Freeman Mill Road to Eugene Street through the old J.C. Price School site, which is owned by Greensboro College.

The land separates Lee Street from the Warnersville community to the south.

From Warnersville, the trail would cross Eugene. It would then run through the South Elm Street redevelopment area and turn north along Murrow Boulevard. Organizers hope they can use at least two of Murrow's six lanes for the trail.

Designers have suggested planting 1,960 trees along Murrow to commemorate the sit-in movement started on Feb.1, 1960, by four N.C. A&T students. Bulbs that bloom in February also could be planted.

The northern section of the trail would likely follow Fisher and Battleground avenues.

The western leg would run along a branch of the Norfolk Southern railroad, which crosses West Market Street near Greensboro College. The line serves only one customer, Chandler Concrete on Mill Street.

A Chandler official said last week the company wants to move, but there's no timetable for doing so. That would open the way for the rail line to be converted into a greenway.

Preliminary drawings call for three small parks along the western boundary.

One of the features along the rail line could be an outdoor classroom. Initial plans call for it to sit between Greensboro College and the Weaver Education Center.

Organizers say they would like to see a company donate money for the classroom, which could be named for the donor.

The greenway would have four gateways that would illustrate topics such as textile manufacturing or the city's strides in civil rights.

Gateway locations haven't been pinpointed.

There also would be trailheads along the route where people from outlying areas can park and access the greenway.

Signs would identify neighborhoods along the trail and point users to historic sites.

"We hope to put (up) some historical markers in the next year as part of the bicentennial," said Cathy Levinson, co-chairwoman of the bicentennial commemoration committee. "Once we identify where the greenway is going, we can put some things up even though it is not paved."

As sections of the greenway are built, nearby neighborhoods would play a key role in its further development.

"Like most parks, this is going to evolve over time," Brett Wylie said. "The intention is that we will set up this framework .... Over time, individual neighborhoods can add their own unique elements to celebrate their qualities."

For example, a neighborhood might plant a community garden or erect an artwork.

"There is not a lack of ideas," said Susan Schwartz, head of the Cemala Foundation. "This is a big project. We will have to bite it off one part at a time."

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or donpatterson@news-record.com