JUNE 10, 2010 ISSUE
Rocky Knob Park Groundbreaking Ceremony June 14
Officials from the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority (WCTDA) and Watauga County Parks and Recreation will be on hand for an official groundbreaking ceremony for Rocky Knob Park on Monday, June 14. The 185-acre park is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by 2011. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Monday and interested members of the community are invited to attend.
Rocky Knob Park was the recent recipient of a $500,000 Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) grant from the state to go toward construction of the park. The 185 acres will be used for outdoor recreation sports such as hiking, biking and trail running, with an additional section of the park slated for development as a bike skills development area for youth and adults.
Construction of the road is currently underway, with trail development slated to begin shortly after the completion of the road. Eric Woolridge of the WCTDA expects Phase I and II of trail development will be completed by the end of the year.
The PARTF grant commits the WCTDA to completing the access road, parking area and Phase 1 of trail development by the end of summer. That first trail, expected to be open and in use by fall 2010, will be developed using two $5,000 grants already secured from the Bikes Belong Foundation and Specialized, a bicycle manufacturer. These grants were made possible through the WCTDA’s partnership with Boone Area Cyclists, a local nonprofit organization working to promote and develop cycling opportunities throughout the Boone area.
WCTDA Executive Director Wright Tilley said, “[The PARTF grant] is the third grant we’ve received for this project, which confirms that Rocky Knob Park is a great project that resonates with officials in the parks and open space business.”
The revenues generated from the county’s occupancy tax will pay for the remainder of Rocky Knob Park. The county levies a 6 percent occupancy tax on those who stay at hotels, bed and breakfasts and other types of lodging while visiting the area.
The WCTDA is in the process of hiring a trail designer to come in and lay out the trails and help facilitate construction. The decision on who will be selected will be based on an open bid selection process. The majority of the labor used to construct the trails will be provided in a volunteer capacity by the local cycling club, according to Paul Stahlschmidt, president of Boone Area Cyclists.
“Our local club will be a big part of the volunteer effort there,” Stahlschmidt said. “A big portion of the project at Rocky Knob will be dependent on volunteer labor. If people want to be involved with Rocky Knob, and they are cyclists, then they need to join Boone Area Cyclists and be a part of it. We’re going to be able to secure some more funding, some trail tools and expert training. Right now we’ve got 15 members of our club being trained by the U.S. Forest Service for chain saw certification. When it’s time to build trails, we’re going to be ready.”
For more information on Rocky Knob Park, click to www.exploreboonearea.com or the WCTDA’s planning site at www.booneareaoutdoors.com. To learn how to become involved with Boone Area Cyclists, click to www.booneareacyclists.com.
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