In 1968, the city of Waynesboro established the Department of Parks and Recreation. For decades, the department’s main job was to oversee the operation of the city’s five main parks: Coyner Springs, Ridgeview, Constitution, North, and Basic. In the 2000s, the department began to explore the idea of expanding recreational opportunities by constructing a greenway along the South River. The idea took root, and the city secured funding through a Transportation Enhancement Grant in 2001. By 2012, the first phase of the Greenway Trail Plan was complete. The community gathered at a dedication ceremony on March 17, 2012, to celebrate the progress and show its support. The popularity of the completed first phase fueled efforts for the next phase, which was completed in 2022. Riverbeds were bolstered, land was cleared, stairs and pedestrian walkways were built, and pathways were paved. The greenway now stretches two miles along the riverfront from the YMCA through downtown to North Park. “If you build it, they will come” has never been truer. About 60,000 people visit the greenway each year. Transformation efforts haven’t been occurring only at the riverside, though. Workers have almost completed the first phase of construction at the city’s former landfill, the new Sunset Park. In a few months, residents and visitors will have access to the new park’s expansive view of the surrounding valley, new trails, and picnic areas. The park system in Waynesboro has seen quite a transformation in the last two decades and, with more to come, nature is calling one and all.