COOLEEMEE — Davie County commissioners have committed $250,000 to Cooleemee’s RiverPark over the next five years, putting the $1.1 million goal for the first phase of park development within $13,000.
Ken Sales, chairman of the RiverPark Task Force, hopes to have that last $13,000 in hand so that supporters can “blow the top out” of the fund-raising thermometer on Marginal Street at 6 p.m. Thursday, he said.
A brief meeting at the thermometer will take place immediately before the final review of a master plan for the park’s development at a public meeting at 7 p.m. at the VFW building.
Sales says he learned of the county’s quarter of a million dollar commitment from Ken Windley, county manager.
“He said we could feel comfortable that the county is committed to $50,000 a year for the next five years,” Sales says. The county has already given $25,000 for the original survey of the site of the proposed park on the South Yadkin River.
More than 50 people got their first look at a master plan for the park on June 7 and liked what they saw.
“With the county’s contribution,” Sales says, “we’re only $13,000 short of the goal, and we’re hoping we can announce Thursday that we have reached our goal completely.”
The historic Bullhole and its 12-foot natural falls, on which a dam was built about a century ago, will be the centerpiece of the nature park, which will cater to families, civic groups and churches throughout the county and surrounding counties. It will feature hiking trails, a wetlands area, shelters with water, rest rooms and electricity, picnic tables and benches, canoe portage, parking and gated entrances on both the Davie and Rowan sides of the river.
The plan will incorporate the old steel bridge pillars in the construction of a pedestrian bridge, a river outfitter shop and a park office, as well as a rustic amphitheater that will seat 3,000 to 4,000 people and ultimately a landing for a future replica of the old Charlie Carter Riverboat.
Supporters kicked off the fund-raiser for the first phase with a goal of $1.1 million in March 2000. More than 600 people attended a rally at the old Erwin Mill site in Cooleemee.
The task force has received $250,000 from North Carolina’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.
“We had to pledge to match that fund, which we’ve done,” Sales says.
It has also received a federal grant for $300,000 with the help of Davie Congressman Richard Burr; a $167,000 Clean Water Trust Fund grant; $50,000 from the Woodson Foundation; and other contributions from individuals.
The county’s $250,000, over a five-year period, Sales says, “will help us maintain the park once it’s in place.”
Sales also hopes to announce the purchase of 36 acres of land on the Davie side of the river from Frank and Sue Earnhardt Thursday night.
The task force has already bought 40 acres on the Rowan side from Claude Horn.
With the money in hand or committed and the master plan approved after next Thursday’s meeting, he hopes the task force will be able to take bids so that development can start in July.
“We hope to have it in use — at least partially in use —by 2002,”he adds, “and it’s just going to be a wonderful thing for Davie and Rowan counties.”
The task force is also in the process now of developing a RiverPark trust foundation with representatives from the two counties and a 12-member board which will manage the park.
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