-Press Release, County of Granville
Volunteers and local businesses have combined resources and efforts to complete an “outdoor classroom” space at Granville Athletic Park (GAP). The project was constructed through a partnership between Granville County, the Granville County United Way and the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford (MHCO).
“The United Way was proud to be a part of this project,” said United Way Executive Director Brenda Dickerson-Daniel. “We have been working in partnership with Granville County for the past several years in providing volunteers and funding for several projects at Granville Athletic Park, this being one of them. We have a great leadership team and some very dedicated community partners that helped make this possible.”
The space is intended for public use for outdoor presentations and programs and includes bench seating and a presentation board (secured) in a pavilion-type setting. Engineered drawings were donated by Drye-McGlamery while labor, materials and financial support were provided by Altec, Vulcan, Bridgestone-Bandag and Green Acres Lawn and Landscaping, as well as Tommy Keith and Sullins Engineering.
Spearheading this project for Granville County United Way was the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford, who took the lead in construction, coordinated volunteer labor efforts and organized the delivery of materials. Vocational Counselor Gene Purvis supervised the project, on behalf of MHCO.
“The Masonic Home for Children is proud to have coordinated the planning and construction of the Outdoor Classroom Project at the GAP,” Purvis remarked. “Our staff, with the assistance of other volunteers, was able to build something that we hope will provide an excellent venue for learning and discovery at the Park.”
Reservations are now being accepted for use of the outdoor classroom space. Those who would like to reserve this new addition to Granville Athletic Park should contact Raymond Allen, the GAP’s Parks and Grounds Director, at 919-693-3716.
“Gene Purvis and the volunteers from the Masonic Home and other partners in the community have constructed a beautiful addition to the GAP,” said Charla Duncan, Partnership Project Manager for Granville County Government. “We hope this project will serve as a reminder that outdoor recreation happens in many ways and that we can all come together to learn and create in a natural environment.”
