RALEIGH With the start of school and fall’s break from the heat, families will soon have more room to roam in their local parks. Gov. Pat McCrory announced Tuesday that an infusion of more than $8 million in grants for parks will go to local governments across the state. A total of $8.4 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund will be awarded to 32 local governments to help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. “North Carolina’s parks and recreation areas are experiencing all-time-high visitation rates and continue to be an essential part of our state’s quality of life,” said Governor McCrory. “These grants will continue to make North Carolina one of the best states in the nation to work, live and visit by preserving these treasured assets for generations to come.” The Parks and Recreation Authority considered 66 grant applications requesting $18.3 million, awarding 32. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project. “Our green spaces are what adds to our wonderful quality of life, and attracts tourists and new residents to our great state,” said Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susan Kluttz. “The preservation of our natural environments North Carolina provides means more economic development and jobs for all of us.”Nearly $30 million has been distributed for more than 136 local park projects through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund since 2013. The money will go to projects in these towns and cities across the state: Asheville, French Broad River East Bank Greenway and Recreational Area, $350,000 Beaufort, Wrights Creek Phase II, $100,605 Bertie, Albemarle Sound Public Waterfront Access, $500,000 Bessemer City, North Park Phase I, $500,000 Brunswick, Ocean Isle Beach – Phase 2, $300,000 Canton, Recreation Park Redevelopment, $350,000 Conover, Conover City Park Expansion, $119,992 Denton, DREAM Play Structure at Harrison Park, $15,000 East Spencer, Royal Giants Park Renovations, $300,000 Fuquay Varina, Fleming Loop Recreational Park Development, $500,000 Granite Falls, Shuford Recreation Park Redevelopment, $196,875 Harnett, Government Complex Park Phase 1, $400,000 Henderson, Bell Trail Park, $350,000 Iredell, Jennings Park, $419,718 Jacksonville, City of Jacksonville Marina, $350,000 Kill Devil Hills, Bay Drive Multi-Use Path Extension Phase 3 & 4, $250,000 Lake Lure, Weed Patch Mountain Recreational Park, $350,000 Laurel Park, Rhododendron Lake Nature Park Phase 3, $80,000 Lenoir, Mulberry Optimist Park Expansion, $327,200 Lexington, Tri-Distributor Land Acquisition, $250,000 Littleton, Littleton Pocket Park, $78,300 Lucama, Lucama Community Park, Phase III, $25,000 Mebane, Mebane Community Park Land Acquisition, $355,802 Nags Head, Dowdy Park Phase II, $250,000 Pineville, Lake Park, $361,460 Pleasant Garden, Volunteer Park, $234,387 Rockingham, Planters Road Dan River Environmental Park & Access, $27,850 Siler City, Siler City Aquatic Facility, $480,035 Star, Forks of Little River Passive Park Improvements, $5,000 Teachey, Town of Teachey Playground, $30,000 Wake, Robertson Millpond Reserve, $251,097 White Lake, White Lake Multi-Use Trail, $305,285
N.C. parks across the state receive $8.4 million grant to renovate
Recreation Trust Fund awards grant to 32 local governments
