Article in Voice - Nags Head wins 1 million in grants to start Dowdy

Nags Head wins $1 million in grants to start Dowdy Park

By Outer Banks Voice on November 17, 2015

The plan incorporated elements of three ideas offered for public discussion. (Town of Nags Head)

The park will feature a centralized green space and gazebo for events, a multi-purpose playing field, sport court, fitness and walking trails, children’s play areas and gardens.

With $1 million in grant funding, the Town of Nags Head will soon begin the first phase of construction on Dowdy Park.

The grants — $750,000 from Trillium Health Resources and $250,000 from the Dare County Tourism Board — will help pay for infrastructure, including site prep, parking and stormwater drainage. The money will also go toward the events plaza, the gazebo and a central multi-use turf area, a portion of the fitness trails and playground spaces.

Bought by the town for $1.5 million in 2013, the 5-acre property was once Dowdy’s amusement park. What was left of the rides were hauled off and the old arcade building was used for firefighting practice.

Plans are to develop a park for all ages. The site at the corner of S. Croatan Highway and Bonnett Street is across the street from the Outer Banks YMCA and next door to Nags Head Elementary School.

A park plan was approved by Nags Head’s Board of Commissioners in March 2015 with suggestions from the public.

It will include a centralized green space and gazebo for events, an events plaza to host craft fairs and similar activities, a multi-purpose playing field, sport court, fitness and walking trails, formal and informal children’s play areas and gardens.

Also envisioned are creative components such as interactive art exhibits, art panels and rotating art displays.

The park will be designed for people of all ages and abilities.

“Both Trillium Health Resources and the Dare County Tourism Board are significant funding partners who are helping to move construction of Dowdy Park forward,” said Deputy Town Manager Andy Garman.

“We are extremely grateful to both of these organizations for the assistance they are providing to enable the Town to provide our community with a park that can be used by anyone of any age and any ability.”

State OKs purchase of Corolla land for Mid-Currituck Bridge

By Sam Walker on November 6, 2015

Rendering of the bridge (NCDOT)

The state Board of Transportation voted Thursday to allocate $5.7 million to purchase a parcel of land in Corolla that would become the eastern landing of the proposed Mid-Currituck Bridge.

The 7-acre property is adjacent to the Corolla Bay neighborhood and is owned by Northeastern North Carolina Properties LLC, a division of Towne Bank, which had approached Currituck County leaders several times, including as recently as this summer, for approval to develop the land between the Currituck Sound and N.C. 12.

“By purchasing the property now, we are saving taxpayer dollars by purchasing the land at a lower price than it would be if it were to be developed before acquisition,” said NCDOT spokesperson Jennifer Heiss.

The span to connect from the mainland community of Aydlett to the Currituck Outer Banks has been in some form of planning for almost two decades, but talk about building a bridge dates back even longer.

“Currituck County has been advocating for the Mid-Currituck Bridge since the 1970s,” said County Manager Dan Scanlon.

“We are excited to see the acquisition of the right-of-way under way and anxiously awaiting the ground breaking,” Scanlon added.

When North Carolina lawmakers revamped how road projects are funded in 2014, among the changes was removing a legislative mandate for the Mid-Currituck Bridge, throwing it back into the same funding pot as other road and bridge projects in the region.

The most recent estimated cost of the bridge is at least $410 million, with the state kicking about $173 million in for initial planning, design work and right-of-way acquisition.

ABOVE: The parcel to be purchased, in blue. (Currituck GIS)               BELOW: Proposed route of the bridge, in red. The bridge would intersect with N.C. 12 at a traffic circle. (NCDOT)

The rest of the money would come from the sale of bonds that would be paid back using tolls.

Within the layout of the Strategic Transportation Improvement Plan, the bridge was ranked low as a regional and statewide priority, but was included on the list of future projects that was finalized last June.

“This is a regional project with regional benefits and we extremely thankful for the support of our communities, our citizens and the surrounding counties and towns that have all worked hard in advocating and advancing this project and for their support of the project within the Strategic Transportation Investment program,” Scanlon said.

$1,235,505 was previously approved for appraisal and advanced acquisition of specific parcels for the proposed 7-mile-long, two-lane bridge.

The state Board of Transportation on Thursday granted a request for an additional $5,702,571 from the state’s Highway Trust Fund, which is supported primarily by revenue generated by North Carolina’s motor fuels tax.

“If the property were to be developed prior to us purchasing it for the project, it would be of greater expense and we would also have to pay to relocate residents whose homes we would have to purchase,” Heiss said.

The most recent timeline for the bridge would have construction starting by the end of the decade, and the span open to traffic by 2025.

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The icon Aggie passed away at 23. -See story in Outer Banks Voice.

Beloved roadside icon, Aggie, passes away at age 23

By Sam Walker on November 4, 2015

Aggie’s stall was near the corner of U.S. 158 and Aydlett Road. (Marianne Gradeless/Facebook)

For years, a sure sign that someone was getting close to the Outer Banks was seeing Aggie the Horse roaming the pasture outside her stall along U.S. 158 just south of the Knapp Bridge in Coinjock.

Owned by Mack and Karen Pierce, a visit with Aggie to share a snack or just a pat on the head has been almost a required part traveling the busy highway by locals and visitors for the last two decades.

Sadly, word came Wednesday morning that she passed away during the night at age 23.

“The Pierces wanted me to convey to all of you how much they have appreciated the public’s care, concern and love for Aggie over the years,” according to a post from Steven Craddock, administrator of Aggie’s official Facebook page.

“Aggie, you brightened all our days, and you made all our lives happier during the 23 years you were with us. Currituck County has lost one of its greatest treasures, but heaven has gained another beautiful winged angel.”

Cover photo by Dianna Keen/Facebook

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