Stoney Creek Park grant for nearly $8,000 more
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on May 23, 2011 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
The entrance to Stoney Creek Park is seen early today. Officials received notice that the park had received more grant money for improvements than had been anticipated.
Goldsboro is getting nearly $8,000 more dollars for improvements at Stoney Creek Park.
The Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant Goldsboro's Parks and Recreation Department received was for $7,750 more than what was originally requested, Interim Parks and Recreation Director Sherry Archibald said Thursday.
The original grant request for $125,000 was amended in January to include costs for building and renovations as well as funds to pay for the preparation of the grant, bringing the total amount of funds to $132,750.
Mrs. Archibald realized the difference during a conversation with Steve Moler, a regional consultant for the Department of Environment Natural Resources, and announced it at the monthly Stoney Creek Park Committee meeting Friday. The committee then discussed priorities for the matching grant. The city has already budgeted to match the grant up to $150,000, so the budget will not be affected.
This fiscal year, the city aims to fund the grant with a match of $44,250. Doubled, the department would have $88,250 for a project beginning July 1, assuming the budget is passed without amendment to that line item.
The committee laid out a plan for the grant's projects, which include restrooms, an amphitheater, picnic shelters, a beach volleyball area and an addition to the disc golf course. The committee determined the bathrooms should be the first phase of the project as members harkened back to an earlier design proposal that would have cost $75,000.
District 2 Councilman Bob Waller said he would like to see the committee work ahead to have specifics for the projects ready each year come July to get the projects started as early as possible.
"I think we need to have everything ready to go and have everything ready," he said.
Mrs. Archibald explained that once design plans were approved, her department would work with Public Works to secure bids for the project.
Besides the grant, the committee discussed in detail the upcoming opening of a dog park at Stoney Creek. A contract was signed in March with Moye Fence, park superintendent Mark Albert said, and the installation would begin Tuesday or Wednesday.
Committee members talked about plans for a grand opening event for the park and a way to honor both the first dog to enter the park and all of the private donors throughout the years who made the project possible.
The date for the opening will be discussed at the next committee meeting, and registration, capped initially at 100 dogs, will begin sometime soon. To register, owners must provide proof of vaccinations and pay a small, annual fee to receive a security code to operate the keypad at the dog park. Registration will be through the Herman Park Center.