Improvements or additions to Parkway facilities for visitors.
A previous Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation grant allowed the resource management staff to work with AB Tech to develop a functional water fountain design that would return the iconic water fountains
Funds have been provided for a comprehensive study by the National Park Service, begun in 2001, which is examining all the natural and cultural resources of the Cone Estate and will layout a long-range plan for the estate.
Campsites at Mount Pisgah will be repaired to stop erosion and flooding by improving the drainage systems around the campsites using drainage systems and water bars.Some of the campsites will be re
The National Park Service has been working to upgrade the Abbott Lake Loop Trail to make it accessible to all populations. The Foundation provided $100,000 for this project to provide better and safer access for all visitors while protecting the environment. Additional sections of the trail have already been made accessible, reducing lakeshore erosion, and a new fishing and viewing pier will be constructed across the lake from the Lodge in 2013.
The Johnson Farm at Peaks of Otter (Milepost 86) serves as a seasonal interpretation center where visitors are treated to costumed demonstrations detailing the lifestyle and culture of a 19th centu
Scheduled to begin in 2013, the Graveyard Fields (MP 418) project is a collaborative effort with the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to improve visitor use and stewardship of this highly trafficked area, and will expand the parking, construct a convenience station and improve the trails and interpretive signs.
The Price Lake Trail is one of the most popular trails on the Parkway, despite its degraded and often muddy condition. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has committed $25,000 to work with the National Park Service, other partners and volunteers to rehabilitate this trail and enhance the outdoor experience for all park users. Nearly one mile of the existing accessible trail will be restored to meet accessibility standards. Volunteers will build a boardwalk across Laurel Creek, replacing existing planks and a substandard bridge.
The Founded funded a total roof replacement of the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center that had been in a state of deterioration for a number of years. Attempts to correct water intrusion had failed. The new roof was installed in early 2012 and now protects the exhibits and furnishings from water damage and provides a mold and mildew free working environment for the staff.
Through annual contributions from the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show, the Foundation provides funds for the maintenance of the popular carriage trails at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.
The Foundation was a funding partner in conjunction with the Buncombe County’s Greenways and Trails Commission, Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Recreation Services to hire planning and design
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