WHAT MADE THE NEWS IN 2022

Heritage Farm Park advances

The transformation of 62 acres of old farmland into Heritage Farm Park is drawing closer, after a contractor drilled a well that, finally, produced enough water to irrigate athletic fields and supply bathrooms.

Last summer’s discovery of an adequate source of water was a critical step in the development of the park behind Town Hall on Linville Road. Other pieces are coming together.

In December, the Town Council instructed Sam Anders, the town’s finance officer, to negotiate borrowing as much as $3 million to finance development of Oak Ridge’s biggest capital project. Anders is dealing with Truist and Piedmont Federal banks to arrange a 15-year loan, with no prepayment penalties.

Town leaders anticipate that costs for developing the park will exceed the $3.66 million estimated in the budget for the fiscal year that started July 1. Plans call for two multi-purpose playing fields, a picnic shelter, restrooms, parking lot, playground and walking trails.

Federal pandemic relief funding of $1.66 million and a North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant totaling $490,000 will help defray costs. The council will decide whether to cover the remaining expenses with a loan, or possibly a combination of borrowing and tapping the town’s reserve funds.

Park design, engineering and county and state permitting have been completed, according to Town Manager Bill Bruce. As of press time for this year’s FINDER, the town was advertising for general contractors to submit bids for the project.

Veterans site approaches $200,000 goal

An Eagle Scout project by Nick Jamieson of Oak Ridge’s Troop 600 raised $5,002 and pushed fund raising for the Veterans Honor Green closer to its goal of $200,000. Combined, the event’s donations and the town’s plan to match contributions in the fourth quarter propeled fundraising for the veterans site over $150,000, according to Patti Dmuchowski, chair of the Special Events Committee, which is leading the veterans project slated for Heritage Farm Park.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail achieves milestone

After three years of digging earth and clearing brush, volunteers of Oak Ridge’s Mountainsto-Sea Trail (MST) Committee celebrated in October with a ribbon cutting for the completion of the 2.2 mile-long Headwaters Trail northwest of town.

The next day, a new phase of trail building began, with volunteers planning to cut a 2 ½-mile trail east of N.C. 68 and 150 that will eventually reach Bandera Farms Park, the eastern-most destination of the Oak Ridge committee’s efforts.

“We like to think of this trail as a connector,” said Anne Steele, co-chair of Oak Ridge’s MST Committee. Statewide, volunteers are shifting the trail from roadways to woods and fields for the safety and enjoyment of hikers.

At the same time, the footpath isn’t avoiding civilization altogether. Running 1,175 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks, its route carries hikers through scenic and historic towns such as Oak Ridge, where hikers can spend the night at a campsite in Town Park.

New life for Redmon house

The historic Redmon house has gotten a new name – Farmhouse Community Center –reflecting plans by Oak Ridge to restore and convert the 1930s-era house into a public meeting place for clubs, parties and other events.

The Town Council voted in October to hire Hill Studio, a Roanoke, Virginia-based design firm, to provide bid assistance and construction administration for renovation and expansion of the house at Linville Road and Lisa Drive in Town Park.

The council also authorized town staff to advertise the project for bids. The process will clarify actual costs, according to Mayor Ann Schneider. Earlier, the council earmarked $455,000 in the 2022-23 fiscal year budget for the project.

An appropriation of $305,000 in federal pandemic relief funds and a state grant for $75,000 will help cover project costs.