Charles C. “Chuck” Epes, a founding member of Friends of Bryant Park, is fighting against the construction of the Fall Line Trail, a 43-mile paved bike and pedestrian trail stretching from Ashland to Petersburg. The project is a regional effort, including the city of Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover. The city broke ground in late August, touting the potential for economic growth.

Epes is a cyclist who has biked across Virginia, the country and Europe. He’s opposed to The Fall Line’s construction through Bryan Park for four reasons: environmental concerns, changes to the park dynamics, the safety of park-goers and cost.

He believes there was little community involvement in the planning for the trail.

“I don’t know why there’s been such limited public engagement about this project,” Epes said. “There are a lot of heavy hitters behind the project.”

Bryan Park has been a passion project for Epes since 1995, when he took the familiar three-block walk from his Bellevue neighborhood home to Bryan Park with his six- year-old son. Gunshots rang out, so he quickly reversed course to get his son to the safety of their home.

Out of curiosity, Epes returned to the scene and found out that someone had been shot to death. Epes had already been deeply disturbed that Bryan Park had fallen into disrepair. He knew most city residents avoided it — with the exception of teenagers partying and carrying out nefarious activities.

The incident sparked a chain of events that led Epes to form Friends of Bryan Park in 1995. The park has seen revitalization with the addition of soccer fields, pickleball courts, playgrounds and renovated picnic shelters.

Epes is a retired communications and public relations professional, newspaper reporter and editor, and teacher.

He’s a grassroots activist on the local level, who has been a part of every neighborhood and civic association where he’s lived. He serves on the board of Ginter Place Condominium Association, where he currently lives, and the board for Richmond First, a civic organization dedicated to responsible citizenship and government improvement.

Meet the community activist working to preserve Bryan Park and this week’s Personality, Charles C.“Chuck" Epes: 

Volunteer work you do: I’m co-founder of Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and The Shepherd Center.

Date and place of birth: Sept. 16 in Newport News.

Education: Virginia Tech for my undergraduate and Virginia Commonwealth University for my graduate degree.

Family: Married with three adult children, and three grandchildren.

Bryan Park is: A 260-acre green space listed on the National Historic Register on Hermitage Road in North Side Richmond.

The Fall Line Trail Project is: A 43-mile bike trail from Ashland to Petersburg, funded by more than $400 million from the Central Virginia Transportation Authority.

The Richmond section will be comprised of newly constructed pathways as well as existing surface streets. The Bryan Park section will cost $3 million and requires paving over nearly a mile of park open space rather than using the park’s existing roadways.

Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail is: We are a loosely organized group of citizens who believe the planned route of the Fall Line Trail through Bryan Park is unnecessarily destructive to the park, unsafe for park users, and was decided without adequate public engagement and input. I co-founded the group with Dr. Elizabeth Barrett.

Why you felt the need to organize: The public outreach about the Bryan Park section of the trail has been grossly inadequate. Many park users, including myself, were not aware of the planned route until July. By then, the city had already locked in the plan and is now refusing to consider alternatives despite the raised questions and concerns.

The history of The Fall Line Trail: It’s been in the planning stage for several years. Today, some of the nine localities through which the trail will go have already begun construction. Richmond broke ground on the Bryan Park section Aug. 28.

Why routing the Fall Line Trail through Bryan Park is good for the city: The trail will introduce many regional cyclists to Bryan Park, a green environmental jewel surrounded by highways and one of Richmond’s best-kept secrets.

Main objectives of Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail: For the city to pause, hold additional public engagement meetings, reconsider the current plan and use the park’s existing roadways for the trail rather than pave over more of the park.

Biggest challenge for Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail: Getting city officials, including members of City Council, to acknowledge citizens’ concerns, hold further discussions, and reconsider the planned route. Using the park’s existing roads for the trail would be less destructive, save trees, be safer, and cost considerably less than the trail’s $3 million price tag.

What keeps you going: Nearly everyone I’ve approached about this project agrees the planned route is destructive, unsafe, unnecessary and should be changed.

That makes me and others in the Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail think we must not be crazy.

Vision for the Fall Line Trail: It’s simple. Use the park’s existing roadways for the trail – no loss of park open space, no loss of trees, no threats to children, soccer players, and walkers, and very little cost. The roads are already there and safe for cyclists to use – most of the roads are already closed to traffic. There’s just no need to add more pavement for bicycles.

Plan to impact change to the present proposed route: Keep gathering public support to pressure city officials to pause and reconsider the route.

How citizens can help: Please join 3rd District Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert’s district meeting on Monday, Sept. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Richmond Police Academy at 1202 Graham Road.

How people connect with Citizens for a Responsible Fall Line Trail: Email me at chuck.epes@gmail.com

How you start your day: I read newspapers and online news over coffee.

Three words that best describe me: Optimistic, committed, loyal.

Best late-night snack: Buttered popcorn.

A quote that inspires you: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Compassion and integrity.

Person who influenced you the most: Not one person but two: my mother, who instilled in me a love of nature and volunteerism, and my father, who gave me the gift of music.

Next goal: Help elect more Democrats!