Town of Granite Falls awarded grant for the Shuford Recreation Center

GRANITE FALLS, NC (September 28, 2020) — The Town of Granite Falls was recently awarded a North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PART-F) Grant in the amount of $250,000 for projects at the Shuford Recreation Center located at 56 Pinewood Road. The projects approved by the Town Council and submitted by the Town scored extremely well relative to projects submitted from other parts of North Carolina. The Council had approved the PART-F Grant application to add a new picnic shelter between the playgrounds ($27,500.00), new adult outdoor exercise equipment ($82,500.00), a new splash pad ($276,000.00),  a new pool slide ($30,000.00), two additional ADA outdoor restrooms ($84,000.00), an additional batting cage $15,000.00), ADA playground equipment for 6 to 12-year-olds ($12,000.00) and ADA playground equipment for 2 to 5-year-olds ($9,000.00). The Part-F Grant requires the Town matching funds on at least a dollar for dollar basis, and the revised estimated cost of these projects is $536,000.00 ($250,000.00 PART-F Grant, $286,000.00 – Town Match). Due to the timing of the grant cycle, the amount of time required to complete the necessary paperwork, and the estimated completion date for these projects, matching funds would most likely not be required until fiscal 2022 which starts July 1, 2021.

Town Manager Jerry Church stated “I want to thank Mayor Barry Hayes and the Town Council (Dr. Caryl B. Burns, Larry Knight, Jim Mackie, Mike Mackie, Martin “MD” Townsend and Tracy Townsend) for supporting the Town’s PARTF Grant application. We all look forward to providing enhanced recreational opportunities for the residents of the Town of Granite Falls.” Church also wanted to pass along congratulations from the Mayor, the Town Council, and from himself, to Parks and Recreation Director Chad Raby and Town staff, for obtaining the PARTF Grant.