NORTHWEST FORSYTH — A northwest Forsyth school is hoping to get a new running track that could also eventually link up with a soon-to-be-opened county park nearby.

The Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Board on Wednesday voted to move forward with the “Patriot Path,” a mile-and a-half long loop at Liberty Middle School, whose mascot is the Patriots.

Mike Quinlan, a teacher and coach at the school, said the trail could be used for cross county and biking events.

“We’ve already got school board approval … for a 1.5-loop on our campus that was originally designed to have ball fields,” Quinlan said. “We also want a skills park there to develop to be able to ride with proper skill, which will be inside the interior of it.”

The idea came to the board’s attention after receiving a letter from West Forsyth High School student Glenn Cagle, who attended Liberty and wanted to help with a new track as part of an Eagle Scout project.

“I was just thinking of a running track to replace running around the football field, which is not adequate, if you ask me,” Cagle said. “Now it’s exploded into this whole new project, which is really exciting … and I’m just in awe of how things have grown.”

Under the agreement, parks natural resources division manager Matt Pate will assist the school in opening the track.

A future connection linking the trail to nearby Matt Community Park via a county waterline easement was discussed during the meeting, though parks director Jim Pryor said that would also require help from the county’s water department and government.