CHINA GROVE — With numerous municipalities around Rowan County submitting a list for possible state funding to address various projects, officials tossed China Grove into the hat.

“I heard about the funds that other towns were getting,” China Grove Town Council member Cheryl Sheets said. “So, I emailed (N.C. Rep. Kevin) Crutchfield’s office.”

Crutchfield visited China Grove on Friday, meeting with Mayor Charles Seaford and Sheets. 

“(Crutchfield) is very pro-small town, and he likes what is going on in China Grove,” Seaford said. 

Seaford remarked that the recent spate of housing and commercial development means that soon more people will be living and working in China Grove. 

“With people coming to town, you have to have things for people to do,” Seaford said. “We talked about the sports complex that we want to do with the old landfill area, which will be a major undertaking, and the greenway that is being looked at and possibly developing soon.”

The meeting also focused on areas of need.

“We discussed videos of street flooding in the West Side, our master site plan for the redevelopment of the Community Park, the corridor study used for our Downtown Revitalization Project, along with meeting business owners that are part of the non-admin team for the $680,000 Rural Transformation Grant Fund award,” Sheets said.   

The council member took Crutchfield around China Grove to showcase its downtown businesses while they discussed those projects.  

China Grove submitted four projects for possible consideration in the bill. 

The first of the projects was for street infrastructure rehabilitation. 

“Request for funding to rehabilitate our existing town street infrastructure based on the results of an upcoming pavement condition study,” China Grove Town Manager Franklin Gover said in an email. “(China Grove) is undertaking a pavement condition study to assess the condition of our municipal street network. (We) believe our street network has degraded significantly over time.”

Second, on the list was the West Side Neighborhood infrastructure improvements.    

“The Westside Neighborhood is a historically Black community with a rich history,” Gover said. “However, the neighborhood’s public infrastructure is in poor condition and subject to flash floods during storm events. (We’re) requesting funds for design services and construction for infrastructure upgrades in the Westside Neighborhood, including streets, storm drainage and pedestrian facilities.”

The third project submitted concerned the China Grove Community Memorial Park. 

“In 2019, the Town of China Grove adopted a master site plan for the redevelopment of the Community Park,” Gover said. “To meet the needs of the community, we plan to replace playground equipment, ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities (ADA). The master plan proposes to expand the playground to accommodate several new pieces of play equipment.”

Playground designs include a treehouse and upgraded play surfacing from an engineered wood fiber to a rubber play surface. 

“This will improve the drainage of the playground and be an opportunity to incorporate art into the park,” Gover said. 

A new shade structure would be in the works, and large maturing trees planted near the playground would provide shade. Other features in the park include a multi-purpose playfield for activities and events, shelters, seating, a natural bioswale for drainage, and new utilities throughout the park.     

The last project request centered on China Grove’s downtown revitalization. 

“(China Grove) was recently awarded a $680,000 Rural Transformation Grant for Downtown revitalization,” Gover said. “We are requesting funding to fill the $825,000 funding gap for the design and construction of China Grove’s Main Street and Downtown streetscaping project, including sidewalks, bulb-outs and crosswalks, planters, handrails, landscaping, wayfinding signage, Hanna Park improvements (tables, chairs, lighting, landscaping). 

“China Grove is investing in downtown to help revitalize and strengthen our economy by supporting entrepreneurs. We hope that the streetscape improvements proposed in our adopted Main Street Corridor study will help spur private investment, ensuring resiliency for years to come.”

The projects originally listed in the bill for state funding are:  

• $2.8 million for public safety, police and fire equipment for Salisbury. 
• $14.5 million for a new municipal complex for East Spencer’s administrative, police and fire departments. 
• $4.8 million to complete the proposed urban greenway that will connect Spencer’s downtown area to the Yadkin River Park, which is currently under construction.  
• $2 million for Catawba College to make Newman Park ADA accessible and allow the college to host additional sporting events and tournaments at the park.

“I appreciate Rep. Crutchfield taking the time to visit China Grove,” Sheets said. “It speaks volumes of his commitment to his elected position to spend an afternoon listening to the needs of a town and talking one-on-one with residents on the street. While there is no guarantee that China Grove will receive any HB59 funding, it was an honor to share China Grove with Rep. Crutchfield.”