Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023 - 17

structured
So, with a planning grant from ARC,
profescitizen
input
and
" We
have virtually no crime, low tax rates,
strong community organizations that are active
sional assistance from the Carl Vinson
Institute of Government at the University
of Georgia, Hiawassee created a
Downtown Strategic Plan in 2018. The
results are posted on the city website
(hiawasseega.gov). And driving and walking Hiawassee,
you can check off their successes one after another.
Investors are buying land to build housing.
New restaurants are coming in.
The two oldest buildings on Main Street are being
rehabbed to include a business incubator, retail stores,
a restaurant and a rooftop bar.
The Towns County Courthouse is being extensively
renovated.
Water and sewer infrastructure is being improved.
Parks and trails around the lake are being upgraded.
The arts are on the rise, with several galleries and
an active plein air painting group.
In short, a lot is happening in Hiawassee.
No story about Hiawassee would be complete
without mention of it being a Trail Town. It's the
first major resupply stop on the Appalachian Trail,
10 miles from both Dicks Creek Gap and Unicoi Gap.
" We'll get 2,000 hikers through Hiawassee, mostly
during March and April, " Ordiales says. " We run
daily shuttles into town and back to the Trail. The
hikers are important to us. " If there were any doubt
about that, take a look at the City transport van, emblazoned
with " #Hikeawassee: Free Shuttle. "
On Monday afternoons in peak season, you'll see
Mayor Ordiales flipping burgers and hotdogs for hikin
local government activities, a great school system,
and a million things to do. We have one of everything here.
And...we're an outdoor paradise. "
ers on the Town Square. The new Trailful Outdoor
Co. just down Main Street from Town Square makes
it possible for hikers to buy forgotten necessities and/
or rethink what they've packed. (The store will take
unwanted items to the Post Office to mail home.)
And there are numerous restaurants, a winery and
brewery and lodging for hikers. (And for book-loving
hikers, there's a wonderful free book kiosk on Town
Square, sponsored by the local Rotary Club.)
Visit appalachiantrail.org for a complete list of what
Hiawassee offers hikers.
It's no surprise that tourism is the major source of
income for the tiny city of Hiawassee, Georgia. With
a beautiful lake cradled by the highest mountains in
Georgia, ongoing big-name entertainment, a varied
restaurant scene and several lake and mountain resorts
in surrounding Towns County, people come for
a lot of good reasons.
But what does it offer residents? Ordiales doesn't
miss a beat. " We have virtually no crime, low tax
rates, strong community organizations that are active
in local government activities, a great school system
and a million things to do. We have one of everything
here. And...we're an outdoor paradise. "
Seems to me you can't go wrong in a paradise with
a plan.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: The highest mountain
in Georgia at 4,784 feet,
Brasstown Bald offers a view
of four states on clear days.
Hiawassee Mayor Liz
Ordiales grills hamburgers
and hotdogs for Appalachian
Trail hikers during peak
season.
TVA-created Lake Chatuge
wraps around three-quarters
of Hiawassee, offering
unparalled views and
recreation for residents and
visitors.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 17
http://www.hiawasseega.gov http://www.appalachiantrail.org
Blue Ridge Country Sept/Oct 2023

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