Granite Falls receives nearly $372K for Shuford Rec expansion

The William B. Shuford Recreation Center in Granite Falls is looking at a 23.16-acre expansion, more than doubling its size from the current 19.3 acres, with walking trails expected to be constructed by 2029.

On Sept. 3, Gov. Josh Stein announced nearly $10 million in grants to 25 local parks and recreation projects across the state, administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NC DNCR) through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) — $371,950 of which is going to reimburse the acquisition of 23.16 acres of contiguous land adjacent to the Shuford Recreation Center.

“North Carolina’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation help make our state such a great place to live, work, and visit,” said the governor. “These investments will support local economies, help bring more visitors to our state, and improve North Carolinians’ health and quality of life.”

The PARTF provides matching grants to local governments of up to $500,000. The $371,950 will reimburse the town for 50% of the total project cost of $743,900 — $733,900 for the land and $10,000 in planning costs.

Parks and Recreation Director Chad Raby explained that the parks and rec programs have outgrown the current facility, and engagement numbers have been higher than other municipal recreation departments in the area, with growth expected to continue.

“The Town’s 19-acre property is home to the William B. Shuford Recreation Center, (which) is currently landlocked and out of space for future development,” said Raby. “It made sense to secure the adjoining property to William B. Shuford Recreation Center to allow more recreation amenities and growth for the future.”

Raby pointed to interleague sports as indicators of community engagement, explaining that although there isn’t comprehensive, verified data for comparison, between Lenoir, Granite Falls, and Hudson, Granite Falls regularly has more teams in play across soccer, volleyball, basketball, and softball.

“For example, during the 2025 baseball season in the 9-10 age division, Granite Falls had six teams, compared to two teams in Hudson and three teams in Lenoir,” Raby said. “This is consistent with the participation trends seen across many of the age divisions in which these municipalities interleague.”

Although the $371,950 grant has already been awarded, Raby explained that the town is obtaining two property appraisals to establish the fair market value on the acquisition.

If the appraised value is higher than what they purchased it for, Raby said Granite Falls could be in for a higher reimbursement depending on grant guidelines and final approval by the NC DNCR, which could reduce the amount of local match funding required.

The town then has three years to develop a recreation project on the property, which will be a network of natural walking and fitness trails, constructed by 2029.

In the long run, the town also has plans for development on a new baseball and softball complex, playground facilities, an amphitheater, a pickleball course, a pump track, a parking lot, and restroom facilities. Those projects are estimated to fall in the decade between 2036 and 2046.

“The town will continue to pursue grant funding for many of the projects, including future PARTF grants, (Land and Water Conservation Fund) grants, local foundations, donations, and local funds tied to the town’s annual operating budgets,” said Raby.