The Town of Waxhaw has been awarded $425,000 from N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF). The town received the grant money for Phase II of the Waxhaw Downtown Park project. 

 

PARTF awarded over $5 million in grants to fund 14 local parks and recreation projects across the state. Local communities had to apply for the grants to fund land acquisition, development and renovation of public park and recreation areas.  Each year, the N.C. Parks & Recreation Authority is required to allocate 30 percent of PARTF’s total funding to local government projects.

  

N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority considered 58 local grant applications requesting $19.3 million in total. The maximum grant awarded for a single project was $500,000. Awardees must match funds dollar-for-dollar for the awarded amount.

  

Town Manager Jeff Wells said, “Receiving this PARTF grant is a pivotal moment for Waxhaw. Our staff worked hard to produce a competitive grant application and succeeded. Dena Sabinske, our Parks & Recreation Director, led this process and provided outstanding leadership.” 

 

Sabinske echoed Wells saying, “we are excited for the opportunity for new educational and nature base amenities.” Sabinske added “The PARTF grant will help with supplementing the cost of these awesome amenities like an interpretive nature playground, interactive water play, sport multi-use court, multi-purpose pavilion, small gathering pod areas, amphitheater, and walking paths.” Sabinske says “this is a wonderful way to partner with the State grant system to bring recreational amenities to the local park system.”

 

Wells added, “Special thanks to the Board of Commissioners for providing the resources, support, and encouragement to staff to make it through the process. This grant is a tremendous accomplishment for our organization and truly was a Team Waxhaw effort.”  

  

The Town of Waxhaw is located south of Charlotte, North Carolina in Union County. Waxhaw has 70 active acres (soon to be 80 acres) of parks and trails and is home to the Carolina Thread Trail’s signature Cross-State Suspension Bridge, a 170-foot long suspension bridge connecting the North and South Carolina trails. The town has grown tremendously to become a popular hub of restaurants, retail, and community events over the last decade. The town was incorporated in 1889 and celebrated its 130th anniversary in March 2019.