Yadkin County officials are hoping the public turns out in large — and opinionated — numbers for meetings this week as officials ask residents to help design Yadkin's first comprehensive parks and recreation plan.
The county has an underdeveloped park and a new lake, as well as other recreation sites, and is seeking public comment on such things as where to spend money or what recreation opportunities to offer or allow at certain sites.
Yadkin County Park, at 6600 Service Road beside the YMCA, is 140 acres and includes tennis courts, disc golf, nature trails, picnic shelters and other things, but it hasn't been updated in recent years.
"It's great what's out there, but we're not maximizing it like we could be," said Kevin Austin, chairman of the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners.
The first meeting, today from 5 to 7 p.m., will be held at the park. Other meetings will be in Jonesville, East Bend and Hamptonville.
The county also is considering how to allow people to use the Deep Creek 5-D reservoir, which was completed last year.
The 5-D reservoir is about 138 acres at normal level. The surrounding land includes about 150 acres that could be used for parks or roads.
There's a fence around the dam and at most of the access points, but the county plans to open the area to the public and planners want to know what activities people would like to have there.
"What I think will be considered is walking trails, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, camping," said Jason Walker, director of the Yadkin Soil and Water Conservation District.
The dam was built for flood control and includes a water intake for the reservoir. Because of its size and future in providing drinking water, gasoline-powered boats won't be allowed on the lake.
But county officials are interested in hearing what people would like to see happen at 5-D, along with such places as the 30-acre Richmond Hill Law School park and Yadkin River access points.
"I think the county has some great resources, some great assets here," said Christopher Ong, Yadkin County's planning director. "The key part is to (find out) what the citizens want to see."
Each of the meetings will be similar, with a drop-in format. Maps and other information will be provided. People will be asked for opinions about what the county should be doing to provide recreation opportunities and where the county should focus its efforts.
The workshops are being hosted by the county, with facilitators from the N.C. Department of Commerce's Piedmont regional office in Winston-Salem.
The feedback will be provided to Site Solutions, a Charlotte-based planning company the county has hired to develop a county recreation plan.
"The data is pretty much going to drive the whole plan," Ong said.
Site Solutions will conduct recreation inventories, do demographic studies and other work, and is expected to deliver a plan of action by February 2012.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement