By Erin Smith
Bladen County has been working to develop a comprehensive park plan. On Monday night, that plan was presented to the Bladen County Board of Commissioners. The plan was started in 2017, and took a year to complete at a cost of $12,500. The board voted unanimously to accept the plan.
The comprehensive plan is designed to be a guide for the future of parks and recreation in the county. It can also add points to grant applications not only for the County, but for local municipalities as well.
Bladen County Parks and Recreation Director, Grant Pait, and East Carolina University’s Deb Jordan appeared before the board to present the plan and answer questions. They began their presentation by sharing with the board some the things they had learned about the county.
Jordan told the board that there was a lot of public input regarding the plan through surveys and community meetings. Based on all the data which was collected, Jordan said a list of recommendations was compiled.
Jordan said one recommendation is to better align the Parks and Recreation Department’s mission statement with the programming, which is offered through the department. She noted the County is very strong in youth sports programs, but the mission statement needs to better reflect that.
She also shared some interesting facts that were learned while creating the plan.
“Very few people actually live close enough to a park to walk to it. That is a national standard. The national goal is for everybody to be within walking distance of a park, which is within less than a mile of home,” said Jordan.
She also pointed out the fact that many people don’t live within walking distance of a park due to the rural nature of the county. Jordan noted that more than 25 percent of those who responded to the survey indicated they have never visited Bladen County Park, which is located on US 701 South near Clarkton.
She also noted there have been population changes in the County between 2010 and 2017. Jordan noted there was a slight decrease in Bladenboro, but some other communities did indicate some small growth.
Jordan also talked about the distance between some communities in the County. She said there are about 7 miles between White Oak and Tar Heel, and they are divided by a major highway. Jordan said sometimes having to cross a major highway can become an impediment when it comes to utilizing parks.
She also noted that the Kelly and East Arcadia communities are not necessarily that far apart on the map, but if you have to drive, the closest route is about 15 miles because there is no direct route.
Jordan said one suggestion is to develop satellite parks in some rural communities, and she suggested they be prioritized based on the community’s size and where the greatest needs are in the county.
She said playgrounds for youth, children, and toddlers using universal design principles is one recommendation in the plan. She said universal design principles relate to ADA accessibility, but it encompasses much more than that.
Jordan shared some photos with the board, of some examples for the types of parks that have been built in other locations to attract youth and young adults.
“What would be the cost for something like that?” asked Commissioner Ashley S. Trivette.
“Playgrounds themselves can range for $100,000 to $500,000,” said Jordan.
Jordan said funding sources to construct such playgrounds can include the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Grant, the Kaboom Company and other companies also offer funds for playgrounds.
Jordan said another item that residents asked for was parks with natural spaces in them. She also said another request was lighting in the Bladen County Park, and the addition of restroom facilities near the picnic shelter. Jordan also said the County needs to address handicapped accessibility issues with the King Street Gym.
Jordan said that many of the programs are youth programs and sports oriented.
“One thing I heard was not everyone is interested in sports. Not everybody has those skill levels,” said Dr. Jordan.
Some other suggestions included health and wellness-oriented programming, creating partnerships with schools, county agencies, and others to provide a wide range of programs for residents of all ages.
Jordan said Bladen County Park appears to be under-utilized except when it is ball season. She suggested developing some events to draw people to the park.
Jordan also discussed creating mobile recreation programs whereby Parks and Recreation staff can travel to various communities and provide recreational programs. This can assist in helping to get programs out to people.
“Do you work in conjunction and go and find communities, like she was saying, if we took the funding we have appropriated, and for you, work in conjunction with them to try to facilitate parks if they come in and ask us for something specific?” asked Commissioner Cogdell.
Pait said the first obstacle is that nothing is defined as to where things are to go. He asked commissioner Cogdell to clarify his statement.
Cogdell asked if a community requests assistance with park facilities or programs they don’t have access to, can they come to him for help with a grant. Pait explained the PARTF grant is for municipalities and local governments. He added there are all types of questions that will have to be answered, such as who will be responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the facility.
Commissioner Charles Ray Peterson asked about the number of people who took the survey. Jordan replied, 206 people answered the survey. Peterson asked her if that was enough to have an accurate sample.
“We don’t know why people didn’t participate. It could be they felt they wouldn’t be heard or what not,” said Jordan.
“It doesn’t appear to me that that is enough people to me to get a clear picture,” said Peterson.
He added the county spends $75,000 in recreation, and the Health Department works with communities and towns to develop walking trails.
“There are a lot of resources already in place, we just need to reach out and remind them,” said Peterson.
He reminded his fellow board members that the County cannot focus on the Bladen County Park, and it is not being utilized.
Commissioner Arthur Bullock suggested bringing the municipalities together to meet and to hear the report.
Commissioner Ophelia Munn-Goins also reminded the board there are taxpayers who reside throughout the County not just in town.
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