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Public Invited To Recreation Summit at Boone United Methodist Church April 23

unnamedAppalachian State University (ASU) Recreation Management program in partnership with ASU Council for Outdoor Recreation Educators (CORE), Destination by Design, and the Watauga County Tourism Development Authority are pleased to announce the 2015 High Country Recreation Summit.

The summit, titled “Elevating Recreation in the High Country,” takes place at Boone United Methodist Church on April 23 from 6 to 9 p.m.

In 2010, Watauga County hosted the first Outdoor Recreation Summit to launch the Outdoor Recreation Master Plan. The plan unveiled key projects such as Rocky Knob Park, Watauga Gorge Park, and the Middle Fork Greenway.

This summit has two objectives. Objective 1: revisit the 2010 Boone Area Outdoor Recreation Master Plan to celebrate and recognize accomplishments towards the goal of that plan. This objective will feature presentations from the government, non-profit, and private enterprises that cooperated in the implementation of the recreation plan. Objective 2: provide an opportunity for members of the public to discuss recreation in the High Country and identify opportunities for recreation expansion. Materials will then be collected and synthesized by CORE for presentation to county officials. The vision of these efforts is to elevate recreation in the High Country.

All community members, recreation enthusiasts, and recreation stakeholders are invited to attend the summit. The Summit will begin with a half-hour social featuring hors d’oeuvres. Recreation vendors and interest groups are invited to set up free booths for this social. The Summit will be emceed by Eric Woolridge (Destination by Design and author of the Boone Area Outdoor Recreation Master Plan).

Presenters will include Watauga County Tourism Development Authority, High Country Recreation, Boone Area Cyclists, Middle Fork Greenway Association, and High Country Pathways. Following the presentations, attendees will be invited to participate in two breakout sessions to identify opportunities for recreation in the High Country.