Press release from Hominy Valley Safe Routes to School program:
Candler, NC—Walking and Biking to School at Hominy Valley Elementary will soon be safer and easier for students who live near the school. Parents and community supporters raised $8,500 as part of a match to leverage an estimated $25,000 dollars in N.C. Department of Transportation funds to build a pedestrian-activated crosswalk at the entrance to the school on Enka Lake Road. Parent organizer Garrett Artz says that, “we really appreciate the broad community support we have in Enka and Candler. The next year is going to be a great year to get our kids doing something we know they love by walking and biking to school.”
The school has had to rely on local law enforcement in order to cross Enka Lake Road during walk and bike to school events. The traffic light does not accommodate pedestrians and experiences a high volume of traffic because it shares an entrance with Enka High School. Construction is expected to be completed by July 1, 2015.
The demand for safely walking and biking to school has been high. Students and parents have participated in four major walk and bike to school events over the past two years. In October, state and local officials joined 80 Hominy Valley Elementary students for their walk to school day. Garrett Artz, a Hominy Valley parent of three students organized the first activity in May 2013 with a bike-to-school event that included 40 students and local Olympic cyclist, Lauren Tamayo. A second bike-to-school activity in October 2013 drew 35 students. In May 2014, 52 students participated, and the event was covered by WLOS TV news correspondent, Jason Boyer.
The Hominy Valley Safe Routes to School program partnered with Friends of Connect Buncombe, a 501(c)(3) non-profit greenways advocacy group, to serve as the fiscal agent to raise the funds for the enhanced traffic crossing. Jaime Turner, real estate agent for Beverly Hanks at Biltmore Lake, was the highest donor and pledged a $2,500 dollar donation to kick off the campaign in October. The Enka Candler Business Association and the family of Ted and Terry Van Duyn each donated $1,000 dollars. Dr. Robert Przysnosch of Smoky Mountain Foot Clinic and Advanced Manufacturing Solutions in Candler each donated $500.
A photo opportunity for the top donors and supporters is being held on Monday, January 12 at 1 p.m. at Hominy Valley Elementary at 450 Enka Lake Road, Candler.
Safe Routes to School programs around the country have been proven in studies to improve children’s focus and testing performance, to reduce congestion and pollution around the school, and to improve children’s overall mental and physical health.
For more information, please contact parent organizer Garrett Artz at garrett.artz@gmail.com or 919-451-9452. Follow Hominy Valley Safe Routes to School on Facebook for further updates.
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