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APRIL 23, 2009 ISSUE

Coming of Age

Green Valley Park Adds Facilities, Hosts 3rd Annual Mountain ValleyFest May 16

Story by Kris Golden

The 2nd annual Mountain ValleyFest takes place on Saturday, May 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parking is $2 and admission is free. Photo submitted

Despite tough economic times, Green Valley Community Park is fiscally sound and growing. By the time locals and visitors arrive for Mountain ValleyFest, a new restroom facility, playground, picnic shelter and bandstand will all be open to the public.

The park’s new bandstand will be the site of live music during the 3rd annual Mountain ValleyFest, which will take place on Saturday, May 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain ValleyFest is a kid-friendly, fun packed event, offering activities for youth, such as face painting and inflatable games. The adults will have plenty to do as well, including climbing on the climbing wall, birding activities, listening to live music, eating good food and perusing craft vendors. Parking is $2 and admission to the festival is free.

Green Valley Community Park is a multi-purpose community park in Watauga County on Big Hill Road between the Green Valley School and Todd.

Live music will include sessions from Folk & Dagger, Lost Faculties, Forget-Me-Nots, Amantha Mill, Surefire and Echo Park. Green Valley Park and Mountain Pathways Montessori School sponsor the event.

In addition to the picnic shelter, playground and bandstand, the park offers multi-purpose playing fields, hiking trails and a canoe ramp.
A group of neighbors made a leap in 1999 and founded the Green Valley Community Park Association as a nonprofit. In 2000, the association purchased three tracts of land from the Blackburn family. On June 2, 2001, the first Green Valley Community Park Celebration on the New River was held in Todd.

On July 30, 2004, seven acres of adjoining property were purchased using a grant from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, obtained by the National Committee for the New River. This additional land provided improved access to the playing fields, wetland and the canoe ramp. Also in July 2005, the gable ends of the picnic shelter were closed-in with help from the funding.

The Audubon Society has recently approved the park as a site on its N.C. Birding Trails. For more information on Green Valley Park, click to www.greenvalleypark.org.

Park amenities can be reserved by contacting Board member Dan Norris at 828-264-6866.

Private donors, parents, students and teachers of the Green Valley Elementary School, the Janirve Foundation in Asheville, the National Committee for the New River, the N.C. Adopt-A-Trail program of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Watauga County Board of Commissioners, Eagle Scouts, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, local businesses and the Farm Service Agency are donors for Green Valley Community Park.