Agenda - 06-26-2007-6b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: June 26, 2007 Action Agenda Item No. _~j_ SUBJECT: Acceptance of Grant from the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for Northern Park DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource Conservation, Rec. and Parks ATTACHMENTS: PARTF Grant Award Letters (2) PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 245-2590 Lori Taft, 245-2673 PURPOSE: To consider accepting a $500,000 state grant from the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for construction of Northern Park (also known as Cedar Grove Park). BACKGROUND: In January 2007, Orange County submitted a grant application to the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) requesting $500,000 in state grant funds to be matched with County funds to develop Phase I of Northern Park (also known as Cedar Grove Park) located on NC 86 adjacent to the Northern Human Services Center. Orange County's project was selected for funding by the NC Parks Authority at the May 11 meeting in Raleigh. PARTF requires that the County execute a contract for administering the grant. The proposed contract will be sent to the County in .early July and will be reviewed by the Purchasing Director and County Attorney. The grant funds will be used to develop Phase I of the park master plan, which was developed during a series of Cedar Grove community meetings in 2004-2005 and adopted by the Board in October 2005. Phase I is expected to include a new ball field, basketball courts, amulti-purpose field (for soccer, T-ball, and other ball games), picnic shelter, playground, hiking trails, and a paved walking path. Existing facilities at this site are one softball field (also used for soccer), a small playground, and a gravel walking track. The playground is outdated and will be completely renovated. The walking track will be replaced with a new measured walking track at a new location within the park. The planned community park will complement the current services provided at the Northern Human Services Center. The Center provides a variety of community services, including a branch library, senior center, pottery studio, child day care center, Head Start, and Work First Readiness Program. The planned new park facilities will also be available to the users of the community center. Renovations to the building are planned in the future, but these are not part of the park project.