Sandyfield is a step closer to building a paved walking trail at its town park after securing a grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce.
The town received $143,412 through the department’s Community Development Block Grant – Neighborhood Revitalization program. The planned 1,642‑foot trail will create a loop around the park, town hall and the fire substation on Woodyard Road.
The park already features playground equipment and a basketball court, which was recently refurbished using funds from the Department of Commerce’s Rural Community Capacity program.
The full project is expected to cost $214,320.14, with construction estimated to take about six months.
To help close the funding gap, Sandyfield applied in December for a $50,000 T‑Mobile Hometown Grant and is exploring additional grant opportunities.
The trail project emerged from the town’s participation in the Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies (CORE) program, which helps rural communities use outdoor recreation as a tool for economic development. Sandyfield was one of 34 local governments selected for the initiative.
The town’s CORE workgroup—made up of Larry Webb, Perry Dixon, Selma Keaton, Reggie Munn, Randolph Keaton, Styrus Daniels, Greg Brown and Bray—worked with Grace Lawrence, a community economic development planner for the Sandhills Region, to craft a broader outdoor recreation strategy. Their plan emphasizes improving residents’ quality of life through new outdoor recreation assets and infrastructure.
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