On Friday, Salisbury’s Bell Tower Green project was one of 27 North Carolina parks to receive grant funding from the state’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.

The fund is administered through the state Division of Parks and Recreation and was established in 1994 by the N.C. General Assembly.

Some $350,000 was allocated to the Bell Tower Green project, of a total $6.7 million awarded to all selected parks and recreation projects.

“Parks and Recreation Trust Fund projects support conservation, strengthen communities, and help local economies thrive,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “These grants improve quality of life and encourage residents and visitors to get outdoors.”

Local communities applied for the grants to fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas. All told, 50 grant applications were considered with requests totaling $12.6 million.

The maximum grant awarded for a single project under the program was $500,000. Awardees must match funds dollar-for-dollar for the awarded amount.

Susi Hamilton, who worked in community planning before her tenure as secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, said she had seen firsthand how these grants impact communities.

“From our most rural areas to our largest towns and cities, … (these) grants instill new life into our communities and continue to benefit these areas for generations,” she said.

Dwayne Patterson, director of the Division of State Parks and Recreation, said that ” robust recreational opportunities” were more important in our communities than ever before.

“We look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition to improve our physical and mental health and the vitality of our communities,” he said.