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Spencer staff: Gateway Arch grant and $20,000 for Children's Discovery Garden move forward
Summary
Town staff gave the board a grants update: a Gateway Arch for Town Park has a vendor estimate and secured grants (Rowan County Tourism: $12,000; Margaret C. Woodson Foundation: $7,500) leaving a small town contribution; separately, a Children's Discovery Garden has $20,000 in combined private and foundation support for design and construction work and community workshops.
Town staff told the Spencer Board of Aldermen on May 12 that funding is in place to move forward with two park projects: a proposed Gateway Arch at the town park and a Children's Discovery Garden with an interactive play feature.
Mr. Morris said the Gateway Arch concept was part of the park master plan and that the town received a vendor estimate from White Light (Concord) showing a total cost including taxes of about $19,591.70. He said the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority committed $12,000 and the Margaret C. Woodson Foundation awarded $7,500; with those grants the town’s share would be minimal (transcript references to the town’s contribution are inconsistent in wording and were clarified in discussion to be a small out-of-pocket amount). Mr. Morris said staff has a current quote (dated April 27) and is prepared to issue a purchase order to fabricate and install the arch; he allowed that installation by the upcoming fireworks event was optimistic but suggested Labor Day as a reasonable target.
On the Children’s Discovery Garden, Mr. Morris said Tommy Carlson and the Carlson family pledged $10,000 toward an interactive water/play feature and the town secured a $10,000 award from the Blanche and Julian Robinson Family Foundation, producing a $20,000 conceptual budget to cover design, a community workshop, construction and landscaping.
Board members asked technical questions: materials (the arch would use aluminum tubing bolted to existing granite/concrete column caps), longevity and maintenance for a vinyl-printed logo adhered to an aluminum disc, and whether a two-sided image would be feasible. Mr. Morris said the columns and sign were engineered for the application, that the sign company used wayfinding standards consistent with other local signage, and that two-sided vinyl likely would be feasible at modest additional cost (staff said there is a small budgetary cushion and staff can solicit donations to cover extras).
Mr. Morris also noted prior budget authority had allowed staff to pursue donations and execute documents for park fundraising activity to avoid pausing each time a contribution was offered.
Next steps: staff expects to issue a purchase order for the arch and to hold a design charrette for the Children’s Discovery Garden; staff will follow up on material longevity and two-sided sign costs and will coordinate with the Historic Preservation Commission for landscaping input.
