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On September 30, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the NC Parks & Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) will award a total of $5,185,071 to 14 parks and recreation projects across the state.
Topping the list is Mars Hill Smith Farm Park. WithersRavenel helped the Town of Mars Hill apply for and secure $268,536 in grant funds. The Town will match this amount dollar-for-dollar per the program rules.
The Town had previously acquired the 87-acre Smith Farm site on Forest Street. It is a former farm with open space that can be used for hiking, but it also has access to the adjoining Bailey Mountain Park. The Town would like to develop the site with additional trails, picnic areas, a barn gathering facility, an outdoor venue, an educational center, restrooms, stream restoration, and education stations. The PARTF funds will enable the development to proceed to the next phase.
WithersRavenel also secured $209,000 for Lee County for Kiwanis Children’s Park Phase II and $500,000 for the City of Belmont’s Recreation Center.
The NC Parks and Recreation Authority evaluated 58 grant applications requesting $19.3 million in total. The maximum grant awarded for a single project was $500,000.
Congratulations to all of the communities who received funds for park land acquisitions and development and renovation of public recreation areas!
To find out if your park or recreation project may be eligible for PARTF funding and to get a jump start on next year’s application, contact Amanda Whitaker at awhitaker@withersravenel.com.