Shelby to dedicate Spangler path to native outdoorsman

The city of Shelby officially dedicates an outdoor recreation trail to a man known as the local cheerleader.

Just prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the city named a 1.2-mile hiking trail on West Grover Street after Carl Spangler, a local outdoor trail advocate.

Before his death in 2017, Spangler was an active member of his community. He was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his volunteer work at the Boys Club. As efforts began to create a thread trail connecting the Carolinas, Spangler quickly lobbied for Cleveland County’s involvement in the project. He was appointed Chair of the Steering Committee for the Carolina Thread Trails in Cleveland County.

“Carl was an advocate of the Rail Trail in Cleveland County and the Carolina Thread Trail, which runs through Cleveland County. He helped build the trail we named after him,” said Walt Scharer, the city’s director of planning. “Due to COVID we have not been able to do a dedication yet.”

On Saturday, the city will host a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony at the beginning of the trail at 940 W. Grover St.

City officials will be present at the ceremony to discuss Spurling’s contribution to local trail networks and the Greater Carolina Thread Trail, a 15-county trail network that runs through North and South Carolina.

The ceremony begins at 10 a.m