Info on CRTI 2025

TUESDAY, MAY 6: EARLY ARRIVALS

5 – 7 pm Informal gathering for interested early arrivers.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7: DAY ONE

12 pm Plan to arrive in Charlotte

1:30 – 4:30 pm Discover the Cross-Charlotte Trail and Little Sugar Creek Greenway (bicycle and walking options).

Participants will get to experience what many consider to be the signature greenway in Charlotte.  Whether choosing to walk or ride, attendees will experience this urban corridor and how it has been transformative to transportation, stream restoration, and water quality, as well as a catalyst for redevelopment.  We will explore a portion of this current 18-mile greenway (31 miles planned). 

The distance for the walking tour will be approximately 4 miles, and 15 miles for biking – both distances represent “out and back” routes.  Staff from the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County will lead the activity and discussion.  Participants can expect mostly flat terrain and an easy pace.  Stops will be made along the way to discuss unique elements of the greenway – such as stream enhancement as well as complex greenway engineering design.

6:00 – 8:30 pm Social & Dinner

THURSDAY, MAY 8: DAY TWO: EXPERIENCE THE CAROLINA THREAD TRAIL

8 – 8:45 am Breakfast at Dunhill Hotel

8:45 – 9:30 am Opening Session

Welcome from the Carolina Thread Trail. Learn about CRTI, meet our participants, and share your needs and interests. Hear about the day ahead!

9:30 – 1:30 pm Experience the Gaston County Trail Corridor

Hop on a bus to experience the Gaston County Trail Corridor, with our ultimate destination of Spencer Mountain, with a stop along the way. In this tour, you’ll see and hear about the way trails are connected to conservation and the way the Carolina Thread Trail works with local government and municipalities to preserve natural features and species while building safe, accessible trails. Includes lunch.

1:30 – 2:15 pm Return to Charlotte

2:15 – 3:30 pm Break

3:30 – 4:30 pm Depart Charlotte for Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, SC

4:30 – 6 pm Welcome to Anne Springs Close Greenway

Short hike and presentation by ASCG Staff

6 – 8 pm Dinner and Social at ASCG Gateway Canteen

Hosted by Anne Springs Close Greenway

8:30 pm Depart for Charlotte

FRIDAY, MAY 9: DAY THREE – BANK OF AMERICA CONFERENCE CENTER

8 – 8:45 am Breakfast at Dunhill Hotel

9 – 9:25 am Getting started – Bank of America Conference Center (short walk)

9:25 – 9:55 am Federal Briefing, Charles Cooper – the Brumidi Group

9:55 – 10:30 am Lightning Presentations: 3 short presentations from the CRTI Network

10:30 – 10:45 am Break

10:45 – 11:45 am Learning from your CRTI Network Colleagues

Choose a breakout session for more in-depth presentations and discussions (more info on topics to come soon).

11:45 – 12:30 pm Closing Session

Taking CRTI home, closing reflections and evaluations.

12:30 – 1 pm Lunch / Official End of Convening

Optional Afternoon Activity:

1 – 3 pm Charlotte Transit “Rail Trail” and Light Rail Field Trip Walking Tour

This approx. 3.5-mile walking tour will examine the interesting history of light rail in Charlotte and how the integration of bicycle and pedestrian facilities with the rail has activated and energized what is known as Charlotte’s densely populated “South End”.  The trip will begin with a ride on the light to get everyone to the walk’s starting point. The pace will be easy, and the terrain is flat.  Throughout the walk, we will hear from stakeholders who played a role in reinventing this corridor.   This includes transit planners representing Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), bike/ped practitioners, and the development community.

Evening: On your own/self-organized activities

Check out the Museum of the New South, experience a Charlotte Knights Baseball game (both are within walking distance from the hotel), and have dinner with CRTI friends.

Reservation Deadline is April 6^th

The Dunhill Hotel is our host for CRTI 2025. Each room is $208/night plus taxes.

Everyone in the CRTI block must reserve their room directly. Please use this link online to join the group block at a special rate. Please be sure that the check-in and check-out date at the top of the page accurately reflect your travel plans. Room costs for Wednesday and Thursday nights are included in the registration. Participants are responsible for paying Tuesday and Friday night stays directly to the hotel. Participants will be required to provide a credit card number to hold their reservation but will not be charged at the time of checkout.

CRTI is a three-day event from Wednesday after lunch to Friday after lunch. Event registration includes:

• All meals from Wednesday’s opening reception and dinner to Friday’s lunch.
• Hotel accommodations at the Dunhill Hotel Wednesday and Thursday night.
• Hosted by Catawba Lands Conservancy/Carolina Thread Trail, a dynamic program experience including a Wednesday bicycle or walking/transit tour and a day in the field experiencing the Cross Charlotte Trail and Little Sugar Creek Greenway.
• A half-day Friday program that is engaging and learning with colleagues from around the country on topics important to regional trail networks.

Participants pay:

• A registration fee commensurate with your organization’s capacity and capabilities (see below for “What Is the Cost to Attend CRTI?”)
• Your own travel to/from Charlotte.  
• A fee of $50 if participating in the Wednesday bike ride (dependent on registration level).
• The costs for optional Friday experiences in Charlotte, including Friday night dinner (on your own) and hotel if accommodation is needed.

The majority of CRTI’s funding and support for Charlotte’s convening is provided by several generous sponsors, including the Brumidi Group, Great Rivers Greenway Foundation, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, the Bay Trail Project/Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and The Fund for the Environment.

For 2025, attendees who are financially able are asked to pay a registration fee commensurate with your organization’s capacity and capabilities (please see the recommended fee schedule). The registration fee enables this year’s event to be possible. If you require an invoice or purchase order from The Fund for the Environment (vendor), please contact Jenna Nixon.

Everyone who is invited to CRTI is welcome and encouraged to participate. The planning team recognizes that some organizations/individuals are unable to pay more than their travel costs.

Recommended Fee Schedule:

Travel Only: My organization can only pay for my travel.

Supporter Registration– $150

• This includes two hotel nights, most meals, and transit around Charlotte during the field tours.

Friend of CRTI – $350

• This includes two hotel nights, most meals, transit around Charlotte during field tours, and any bike rentals during CRTI-related bike rides.

Partner of CRTI – $500

• This includes two hotel nights, most meals, transit around Charlotte during field visits, bike rentals, and a donation to CRTI Futures.

Champion of CRTI – $1,500

• This includes full registration at the Partner of CRTI level for up to three (3) individuals from your organization.

Trailblazer – $1,500 +

• $1,500 + for up to 3 people + a donation of your choice. The Fund for the Environment will issue you an invoice.

Cancellation policy: Registration fees will be refunded if a request is received in writing no later than April 5, 2025. The Fund for the Environment reserves the right to charge a 15% cancellation fee. Please email Jenna Nixon at The Fund for the Environment with your refund request. Email: jenna@fundfortheevironment.org

About CRTI

• Long-distance trails and regional trail networks are an increasingly important part of trail systems and public infrastructure. While they share many of the same attributes and challenges of other trails, many are unique given their scope.
• The Coalition of Regional Trails Initiatives (CRTI) is a professional network devoted to the planning, maintenance, promotion, use, funding, and sustainability of long-distance, multi-jurisdictional green and blue trails such that these trails become assets for everyone.
• The Coalition of Regional Trails Initiatives (CRTI) has become an important part of the professional network of planners, managers, funders, and advocates of regional and long-distance trail networks. Given the complexity of planning, design, funding, development, and management of these systems, CRTI meets a need that is not addressed adequately by any other trails organization.
• This network aims to provide participants with connections to other long-distance trail practitioners and funders, foster partnerships and knowledge sharing, and facilitate sharing of technical resources to support their work.

As the collaboration expands and matures, the CRTI ‘25 event planning team clarified CRTI’s values and created an event code of conduct to intentionally support an event space that embodies our values.

Values:

• Generously share knowledge, resources and build relationships
• Create space to align agendas, efforts, and interests, as well as facilitate strategic initiatives and collaborations
• Belief in investment in public infrastructure to build a better community/society
• Provide opportunities to deepen professional relationships, hone leadership skills, and expand their impact
• Inclusion and participation
• Create a learning environment to advance equity in trail work
• Embrace community-driven solutions and amplify community-based expertise and experiences.

CRTI Code of Conduct

All those who attend or participate in CRTI events have the right to enjoy them and share in the activities equally. To support an environment that builds community and positive connections, participants in CRTI-sponsored events are invited and encouraged to engage and participate actively and respectfully. We are dedicated to ensuring that CRTI events are an inclusive, respectful, productive, and harassment-free experience for everyone, and that event activities are conducted with the intent to ensure each attendee’s safety and positive learning experience. Behavior that impedes or prevents accessibility, safety, services, or behavior that discriminates based on age, ability, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, political or institutional affiliation, or sexual orientation, or harassment of any kind, is strictly prohibited and may result in removal, being barred from any further participation, or, if appropriate, such violations may be reported to legal authorities.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR

If you witness or are subjected to unacceptable behavior or have any other concerns at a CRTI -sponsored event, notify a CRTI planning committee member or facilitator as soon as possible. If you witness a crime or have an emergency that requires the police or emergency services, please call 911. If you have questions in advance of the event regarding the Code of Conduct or its implementation, please email the planning team via Jen Torman jtorman@pecpa.org at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. If a participant engages in unacceptable behavior, the CRTI planning team may take any action it deems appropriate, including but not limited to removing the participant from the event without a refund.