The Watauga County Board of Education voted unanimously at its March meeting to pass a resolution in support of construction of a new recreation center for the citizens of Watauga County. The county plans to build a recreation center on property it acquired from Appalachian State University in a deal earlier this month.
During the meeting, the board read the resolution, which expressed commitment to the project and its benefits to public health in Watauga County.
“The Watauga County Board of Education is committed to the overall health, wellbeing, and vibrancy of Watauga County’s citizens … the Board believes that modern recreational facilities will benefit students and families through improved health, increased educational attainment, and expanded access to after school, weekend, summer-time, and school sponsored opportunities,” the resolution said.
The Business Affairs Annex property on State Farm Road is approximately 3.5 acres, and its appraised value was $2,819,000 million as of Jan. 12, 2016.The board expressed its continued commitment to working the Watauga County Commissioners to ensure that “ample opportunities for improving recreation and quality of life” was provided for all citizens of Watauga County.
The school board said its recognized that both county-owned recreation facilities and board-owned school facilities are in need of significant investment and improvement and expressed that adequate financial resources existed to meet both needs.
The resolution stated that school facility and county recreational needs are complementary of each other — not in competition.
The Board expressed its full support of the immediate funding and construction of a new recreation center for the citizens of Watauga County.
Superintendent Scott Elliott expressed his support for the resolution.
“Our school system and our Board of Education greatly appreciate the advocacy of High Country Recreation and especially the support of our Watauga County Board of Commissioners for continuing to focus on developing a new recreation center,” Elliott said.
“From our perspective, the health and wellness of our community is just as much a priority as the quality of our schools and educational programs. I believe that ‘quality of life’ is the primary economic driver of our local economy. Excellent recreation facilities available to all our children and families are essential to our quality of life.
Education, recreation, the arts, and the overall quality of our community are what sets Watauga apart from other areas. A new recreation center will further distinguish us as a first class place to live, work, and raise our families. I appreciate our community leaders for continuing to work toward this worthy goal.”
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