Valdese Rotary gives $55K for Children’s Park playground

Donations continue to come in for the construction of a new playground at Children’s Park, with the Rotary Club of Valdese presenting a $55,000 contribution to the project during its regular weekly meeting June 2.

The meeting was held at Children’s Park instead of the Rotary’s usual gathering place in the Waldensian Room at the Old Rock School.

The contribution includes $25,000 from Rotary Zone 33, which covers the Southeastern United States; $20,000 from Rotary District 7670, which covers Western North Carolina; and $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Valdese.

The grants were awarded through Rotary’s Hurricane Helene relief and resiliency funding programs, with Rotary District Assistant Governor Shawn Hamm identifying the grant opportunity and bringing it to the attention of Friends of the Valdese Rec (FVR) President Beth Heile. Both Hamm and Heile are former presidents of the Rotary Club of Valdese.

Heile knew immediately that Children’s Park, which is prone to flooding and in need of new playground equipment, was the right project for the grant funds. Within three days, a successful grant application was submitted and awarded.

Combined with a $100,000 grant from the Rostan Family Foundation and a $20,000 commitment from FVR, the project represents a significant step forward in the continued revitalization of Children’s Park.

Since 2015, FVR and its volunteers have partnered with the Town of Valdese on numerous enhancements, including volunteer workdays, repainting park facilities, installing a community mural, landscaping improvements, and acquiring an adjacent parcel for overflow parking, future trail connections, and additional recreational opportunities. Hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of donated dollars have helped ensure that Children’s Park remains a welcoming destination for local families.

The park itself holds special significance in Valdese, as it was built to memorialize five children who were killed in a 1972 bomb shelter explosion. Notably, the Rotary’s June 2 meeting took place just days after the 54th anniversary of the tragedy.

The vision for Children’s Park continues to grow. Future plans include trail connections to Valdese Lakeside Park, to the planned Interstate 40 exit 111 welcome area, and to the broader Burke River Trail network. These connections will help position Children’s Park as both a neighborhood park and an important gateway within Valdese’s expanding system of recreational opportunities.

“Every improvement builds on the last,” Heile said. “What started as volunteer-led beautification projects has evolved into a long-term commitment to creating a park that serves families today while connecting to the larger recreation vision for Valdese tomorrow.”

Commitments toward the playground project now total $175,000, although donations are still being accepted. Community members and businesses interested in supporting Children’s Park and its future improvements are encouraged to contribute through Friends of the Valdese Rec.

For more information or to donate, visit friendsofthevaldeserec.org.

— JM