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So much is happening at your Valdese Parks and Recreation Department this month! To start off, we were thrilled to hear the announcement from the Burke County Sports Hall of Fame that our very own Coach Wayne Owens is going to be posthumously inducted in to the hall! We want to thank all of those who lobbied to have Coach Owens honored this way.
We are wrapping up two big projects at the Valdese Community Center, and we can’t wait to share all that has been done. We want to invite you to our gymnasium dedication and ribbon cutting on Saturday morning, April 29, at 10am in the newly updated Community Center lobby. If you are excited by what you see and want to join us, we will be discounting our pool and fitness memberships 25% off for the week of April 29-May 6. This is a great time to take advantage of our incredible membership deals.
Another big project wrapping up is the completion of our Greenway improvements. With assistance from donors and state funding, the Friends of the Valdese Rec contracted with Carolina Express Paving to complete the crush and run surface upgrade on the Valdese Lakeside Park side of the Greenway, as well as the McGalliard Falls side of the Greenway. The weather in January and February presented some difficulty, but the job will be wrapping up about the second week of April, just in time for some excellent hiking weather. As these projects wrap up, another is about to begin: the fishing pier and canoe/kayak launch! Work will begin mid-April. Please be aware of the construction zone, but the Greenway will remain open the majority of time the work is being completed.
Our Spring ball sports are getting started the first week of April, and we want to encourage you all to keep an eye on our opening day festivities at Fletcher Fields. We have a number of teams competing in the Foothills Athletic Association this season, and our teams will play against teams from Saw Mills, Hudson, Lenoir, Morganton, and Granite Falls. If that’s not quite your thing, Valdese Torpedo Swim Team will begin online sign ups on Monday, April 17, for the coming summer season. Swimmers from all over the area, not just from Valdese Elementary, Heritage Middle, or Draughn High can participate in this summer program. Swimmers must be able to swim one 25 yard length of the pool unassisted to join.
If you are looking for some Staycation fun during the upcoming Spring Break, spending some time at Valdese Lakeside Park is always fun, but the pool, bowling alley, and concession stand will be open day time hours the week of April 10-14. Come and visit us for a lot of fun!
As we get ready for the summer months, we are looking for lifeguards to join our staff family. As an integral part of our staff, lifeguards assist patrons and other staff in a variety of way while maintaining patrons safety. If you know someone 16 years old and up looking for a flexible work schedule and a desire to serve their community while getting a check, lifeguarding is an excellent choice. Please contact Alex at the Pool and Fitness Center for information about the April 21-23 class. Guard candidates must complete a swim test prior to starting training.
The Valdese Parks and Recreation Department is currently accepting sponsorships for fence banners. If you are interested in advertising with a banner at Fletcher or Children’s Park fields, please contact David, Jonathan, or Connor for more information on how you, like Morganton Chic-Fil-A has done, can advertise and help us provide top quality programming. We want to thank the folks at Everett Chevrolet for their sponsorship of our programs this season through the Chevy Youth Baseball and Softball program. In addition to providing funds, our department was able to choose equipment and gear that all our teams will benefit from.
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