Community Recreation Grants Program Approves Nearly $100,000 in Funding for 19 Projects

Buncombe County Recreation Services has approved nearly $100,000 in funding for 19 projects that will be enjoyed by thousands of county residents. The diverse group of projects represent a dedication to community access to fitness, wellness, and inclusive recreation, all of which improve the quality of life in the local community. Recipients are nonprofit organizations that primarily serve Buncombe County and offer free or low-fee activities that are open to the public.

“This year’s recipients of Buncombe County Recreation Services Community Recreation Grants are true community partners working to further our mission to provide high-quality recreational experiences and opportunities for social interaction and active lifestyles,” said Josh O’Conner, Director of Buncombe County Recreation Services. “These nonprofit organizations also display innovative approaches to recreation, ongoing commitments to sustainability, and foster atmospheres of inclusivity. Partnerships like these allow us to maximize our effectiveness throughout the county and support programs that are a win for our residents and families.”

2019 Community Recreation Grants

• Arts 2 People — $2,500 to purchase a portable sound system and expand free public programs and events in accessible outdoor spaces such as parks.
• Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association (ABYSA) — $6,000 for three soccer goals to be placed at local schools for use by students, soccer players, and community members.
• Asheville GreenWorks — $4,995.88 to expand and enhance educational programs at Sandhill Community Orchard and promote sustainable land use.
• Asheville Sailing Club — $4,280 to acquire seven training prams to increase access to a safe, low-cost sailing fleet at Lake Julian Park for area youth.
• Asheville Tennis Association — $4,831.14 to purchase tennis racquets, balls, nets, ball hoppers, carts, and baskets to promote a healthy lifestyle and safe, low-cost activity to local youth.
• Big Ivy Community Development Club — $6,000 to support start-up costs and public programming for the Big Ivy Community Center swimming pool.
• Bountiful Cities — $5,993.11 to increase the engagement at 11 gardens within the Asheville Buncombe Community Garden Network through additional outdoor seating and picnic tables, updated signage, and repair of 16 raised-bed gardens at William W. Estes Elementary School and AC Reynolds High School.
• Buckeye Cove Community Club — $6,000 to create a handicap parking space and walkway, providing direct access by unassisted visitors to Buckeye Cove Community Center.
• Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth Baseball and Softball League — $5,000 to place a permanent wooden structure over a public batting cage pad.
• Erwin Youth League — $6,000 to replace halide lights with environmentally efficient LED bulbs at its public ballfield and teach sportsmanship to local youth.
• Hola Community Arts — $5,744 to provide initial funding, costumes, and space rental for BAILEMOS, a culturally-tailored, community-based performing arts program promoting cultural awareness, physical activity, self-confidence, perseverance, social interaction, creativity, and self-esteem.
• Leicester Community Center — $5,928 to make a permeant repair to its drainage system and install gutters to better utilize outdoor space for community programs and events.
• Newfound Community Club — $6,000 to resurface portions of the public walking trail at Newfound Community Center for exercise and recreation.
• Sandy Mush Community Center — $6,000 to purchase and install two shade structures to cover benches at a new playground adjacent to the community center, increasing community use and decreasing the risk of skin cancer.
• Spring Mountain Community Club — $6,000 to convert the pavilion at Spring Mountain Community Center from a gravel floor to a concrete surface, providing an accessible social gathering space.
• Swannanoa Community Council — $6,000 to install accessible benches and picnic tables at Grovemont Park Community Playground, Greenspace, and Pavilion to provide improved seating and safe spaces for families, youth, and community members to enjoy music, theatre, and other programming.
• The North Carolina Arboretum Society — $5,327 to improve features of the ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) initiative to better reach traditionally underserved populations and foster a fun learning environment by encouraging youth to use technology constructively and explore the outdoors as citizen scientists.
• Western North Carolina Disc Golf Association — $6,000 to improve 25 tee pads at Lake Julian Park’s no-cost disc golf course, allowing easier participation for beginner and veteran players.

Total Funding: $98,855

Buncombe County Recreation Services works to insure quality leisure experiences, preserve the area’s natural beauty, and enhance environmental resources through the management of public parks, development of greenways, promotion of wellness lifestyles, and enhancement of environmental resources. Facilities include three regional parks, seven riverfront parks, five outdoor pools, a regional greenways and trails system, two disc golf courses, a nature preserve, and numerous athletic and multi-use fields.

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