NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund provides grants to 14 local governments

NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund provides grants to 14 local governments

From NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources:

Mars Hill Parks and Recreation is among the 14 local governments that received part of the $4.4 million in grants from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The grants, awarded by the Parks and Recreation Authority, will help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. Mars Hill received $22,500 for the Mars Hill Recreation Park pool renovation project.

Press release:

RALEIGH – State officials today announced the award of $4.4 million in grants from the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to 14 local governments for parks and recreation projects.

The matching grants, awarded by the Parks and Recreation Authority, will help fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. The authority considered 73 grant applications requesting more than $20 million. A maximum of $500,000 can be awarded to a single project.

“The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has reached into hundreds of local communities offering new opportunities for recreation and fitness,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation. “These opportunities for new parks, trails greenways and recreation facilities go hand in hand with North Carolina’s commitment to conservation, sound environmental stewardship and economic opportunity.”

The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund is administered through the state Division of Parks and Recreation and was established in 1994 by the North Carolina General Assembly. The revenue is distributed to three programs: 65 percent to the state parks system for repairs, capital improvements and land acquisition; 30 percent for matching grants to local parks and recreation programs for development and land acquisition; and 5 percent to the coastal beach access program.

Since 1995, the Parks and Recreation Authority has received 1,425 grant applications with requests totaling about $307 million. The board has awarded 768 grants for $173 million.

The local governments receiving grants in the most recent cycle are: Belmont, which received $450,000 for Belmont River Park; Brevard, which received $223,500 for Rosenwald Community Park; Cofield, which received $221,996 for Cofield Community Building; Duck, which received $137,500 for Soundside Boardwalk; Granite Falls, which received $136,250 for the Granite Falls Recreation Center Renovation; Henderson County, which received $500,000 for the Henderson County Athletics and Activity Center; Knightdale, which received $400,000 for the Knightdale Station Park; Lansing, which received $500,000 for the Lansing Town Park Expansion; Macon County, which received $500,000 for the Parker Meadows Recreational Park; Mars Hill, which received $22,500 for the Mars Hill Recreation Park Pool Renovation; Morrisville, which received $399,777 for the RTP Park Development; Person County, which received $353,000 for the Recreation and Senior Center – the Life Center; Spencer, which received $202,362 for the Spencer Woods Fred Stanback Preserve and Educational Forest Development; and Topsail Beach, which received $439,910 for the Topsail Beach Town Center Park.