The recently-completed Fifeville Community Trail reconnects a historically Black neighborhood in the heart of Charlottesville, VA to a park that is the neighborhood’s cultural core, while linking residents of all ages to jobs and shopping via a low-stress alternative to busy streets that lack sidewalks. This community-led project restores a historic connection that was severed by Urban Renewal and is part of a larger effort by the community to preserve their neighborhood and improve community health. As corollary, the project opened for public enjoyment a privately owned forested property that includes a stream, wildlife and historic resources. The project is remarkable because of the close partnership between diverse community groups, the City of Charlottesville, a landowner and multiple foundations–with a land trust (the Piedmont Environmental Council) as a catalytic partner. The session will include social, historic and geographic orientation, first-hand accounts from local leaders via a recorded panel discussion, a summary of strategies for translating good will to on-the-ground change and a workshop on how these ingredients could be successful in session attendees’ practices and communities.