This news item expired on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Buncombe County Recreation Services has approved $100,000 in funding for 21 projects to be enjoyed by thousands of county residents. The diverse group of projects represents a dedication to equitable access to fitness, wellness, and inclusive recreation to 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. For most projects, additional funding sources have been secured to cover the total amount.
“Partnerships like these help us ‘fill in the gaps’ and affect the quality of life for our residents,” said Josh O’Conner, Director of Buncombe County Recreation Services. “The value of quick wins projects creating long-term change has been proven time and again. These projects display innovative approaches to recreation, ongoing commitments to sustainability, and foster atmospheres of inclusivity – and will help build momentum for future projects.”
2020 Community Recreation Grants:
- Asheville Black Bears Baseball Club – $5,817.04 to enhance softball and baseball fields and batting cages at Charles D. Owen Park
- Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association – $6,000 for soccer goals at locations in areas that do not have any
- Asheville GreenWorks – $3,828.70 to expand operations and educational workshops at Sandhill Community Orchard
- Asheville Tennis Association – $5,314.27 for tennis equipment to be used for programming at schools and for residents from traditionally underserved backgrounds
- Asheville Youth Football and Cheerleading League – $6,000 for new football helmets for players from underserved backgrounds
- Bent Creek Community Park – $6,000 to add a shade structure and playground equipment in the park
- Big Ivy Community Development Club – $3,496.60 for improvements and repairs to its swimming pool
- Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Kids in Parks – $4,179.59 to install a TRACK Trail (self-guided adventures that use signs to turn visits into fun and exciting outdoor experiences with prizes for tracking progress) at Charles D. Owen Park
- Bountiful Cities – $4,313.58 to establish mature fruiting shade trees and add play structures at six community gardens and improve greenhouses at Vance Elementary and Hall Fletcher Elementary Schools
- Buckeye Cove Community Club – $3,983.22 to provide an accessible walkway from the parking lot to its community center
- Enka Intermediate School PTO – $3,511.80 for play structures in its new playground
- Erwin Youth League – $6,000 for equipment to enhance and maintain sports fields
- Gladiator Sports Academy – $4,964.20 for football equipment to be used by young men considered at-risk
- Hola Community Arts – $6,000 for native 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
- MountainCare – $2,840.80 for equipment to be used in exercise programs for participants with physical or cognitive impairments
- The North Carolina Arboretum – $2,745 for speakers and costs associated with a weekly afterschool program in which participants visit local parks (in conjunction with Asheville City Schools Foundation, the In Real Life program, and EcoExplore Challenge Camp)
- Ox Creek Community Center – $3,420 for interior and exterior repairs to its community center
- Sandy Mush Community Center – $6,000 to install sports and recreation structures at its community center
- Shiloh Community Association – $5,541 to establish green space and recreation areas at its newly-donated community building
- Spring Mountain Community Club – $4,044.20 to renovate the meeting room at its community center
- Swannanoa Community Council – $6,000 for enhancements and expansions to Grovemont Park
- Total Funding: $100,000
For information on next year’s Community Grant applications, follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.