E-Newsletter 1059 | March 2023

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn."

- Lewis Grizzard

Rock School Arts Foundation

Presents

Renee Barnette and Gregory Huffman

In Gallery: March 3- April 7

Reception: Sunday, March 5th 2-4:00 P.M.

Next Town Council Meeting:

Monday, March 6th 6:00 P.M.

Meetings will be held at 6pm at Valdese Town Hall Council Chambers (unless otherwise noted): 102 Massel Avenue South West Valdese NC 28690. All meetings are open to the public. 

Rock School Arts Foundation Open Studio

Every Thursday 11-3:00 P.M.

Rock School Arts Foundation welcomes all two-dimensional artists to paint/draw together on Thursdays in Studio 101, located in the Old Rock School in Valdese, NC. Studio hours will be from 11 am to 3 pm.

All levels are welcome, some experience is recommended since this is not an instructional session.

Participants will need to bring your own subject matter (photo reference or roughed-in subject), canvas or other surface, painting/drawing materials, (including paints/pastels/pens and ink, pencils, brushes, solvents, paint rags). 15 Easels and 3 covered tables, sinks and trash cans are provided.

Why paint together? For the Inspiration, the Fun, the Comradery and Energy, and Peer critique (if desired). This style of collaboration resulted in some of the most important art movements of the centuries. Let’s create something great together!

Valdese Parks and Recreation Hosts First Ever "Outdoor Adaptive Recreation Day"!

The Valdese Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting its first ever Outdoor Adaptive Recreation Day on Friday, March 10. The event will be held at McGalliard Falls Park from 1pm-5pm, and it is free to the public!

The Town of Valdese is holding this event as a part of the larger 2023 Year of the Trail initiative taking places across Burke County that weekend and across North Carolina all year long. The goal of the OAR Day is to connect community members with resources that can help them connect or reconnect with outdoor recreation.

Search Downtown Valdese for a hidden leprechaun! If you are lucky enough find one, bring him to the Old Rock School for a pot o' gold prize!

Please limit one leprechaun per child.

Prizes will be distributed from 8-5:00 P.M. on Friday, March 17th.

Happy Hunting & Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Next Planning Board Meeting:

Monday March, 20th 4:00 P.M.

The Planning Board reviews amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, preliminary and final subdivision plats, rezoning applications and considers other development issues that affect the town. Planning Board members also serve as the town’s Board of Adjustment for any variance cases that may arise. The Planning Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 4pm in the office of the Planning Director located at Town Hall - 102 Massel Ave SW.

For more information, please contact Planning Director, Larry Johnson at 828-879-2124 or via email at ljohnson@valdesenc.gov

Annual Budget Retreat:

Thursday, March 23 9:00 A.M.

Friday, March 24 (Day 2 if needed)

Held at the Old Rock School Waldensian Room

400 Main St West Valdese, NC

Old Colony Players: Shrek the Musical

Produced with permission of Music Theatre International

at the Fred B Cranford Amphitheatre

Show Dates: 

April 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 & 

May 4, 5, and 6 

Family Friday Summer Concert Series:

2023 Lineup Announced!

Burke County's reverse 911 system and Smart911 App link. This is where you can sign up to receive the text alerts, the Smart911 App, and emails you in the event of an emergency.

A Message from the Valdese Recreation Department 

Valdese Parks and Recreation is full of activity right now. In our youth programming, indoor soccer and our inaugural volleyball programs are doing great. We are thrilled by the amount of participants who are in our volleyball group and what that means for the future of the sport in Valdese. We’re also excited for all our successful high school winter sport athletes who have been involved in our youth sports in the past.

We have some exciting programming coming up in addition to what we are already doing. For youth sports, we are excited to be signing people up for Tee Ball, Baseball, and Softball. Participants are not required to be Valdese Elementary students or live in Valdese school district. Signups are open now on https://valdese.recdesk.com. Additionally, we are offering a lifeguarding class here at the end of April. That registration is also open, and if you decide to come work with us here, you only pay $20 for the certification! Lifeguard candidates must be 15 years or older on April 3 to do the training. Xcell Aquatics will be hosting an eight session pre-training to help improve swim skills for candidates who are interested. Please come by the Parks and Recreation department to find out more about these opportunities.

We are pleased to be bringing back a program for adults and youth alike: Tennis! TennisBloc and the Town of Valdese have partnered up to bring back tennis lessons to Valdese, and they are offering pickleball instruction, as well! Tennis will be on Tuesday nights, and pickleball will be on Thursday nights. You can sign up here: https://www.tennisbloc.com/services/tennis-programs/upcoming-programs.jsp?zip=28690&radius=5

Renovations around our facilities are rolling along. In the locker rooms and pool/fitness lobby, we are getting so much closer, with most of our major work expected to be completed in the next few weeks. In the gymnasium, the Sports Flooring Group is working hard to get goals in and flooring out. If you are interested in obtaining a piece of the 1938 original Community Center floor, please contact the Parks and Recreation office at (828) 879-2132. On the parks side of things, the improvements on the McGalliard Falls side of the greenway are almost done. Once that is completed, the Valdese Lakeside Park side will be worked on. Please adhere to any signage regarding closures while work is being done.

Valdese Parks and Recreation and Friends of the Valdese Rec will be participating in Year of the Trail events across Burke County in March. On March 10, we’ll be holding our first-ever Outdoor Adaptive Recreation Day at McGalliard Falls from 1-5pm. Organizations and businesses from around the area and across the state will be onsite to showcase equipment and programming that make the outdoors accessible to everyone. From track chairs to sports leagues, we will have a lot to offer and we’re looking forward to this event. On Sunday the 12^th, Friends of the Valdese Rec will be holding a group hike at Valdese Lakeside Park at 2pm. It will be a great weekend. 

As you start thinking about where to have parties, family reunions, or other gatherings this spring, consider checking out the spaces the Parks and Recreation Department rent. Dates are filling up, so please contact the Parks and Recreation office to see if your date is available. We offer competitive rates for fun places to have your next party. 

Finally, the Parks and Recreation Department is excited to be working alongside the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the MainStreet program to help with a Creating Outdoor Recreation Economy strategic plan. We want your valuable feedback to make sure we have a plan that provides feedback from as many people in the community as possible. A stakeholder survey is available online here: Town of Valdese CORE Community Survey: https://survey.sogolytics.com/r/Ee3Krc. Paper copies are available at the Parks and Recreation office if you would prefer to complete the survey that way.

We look forward to seeing you at your Valdese Parks and Recreation Department!

Town of Valdese Outdoor Recreation Community Survey- We Want to Hear From YOU!

Please consider taking a moment to share your input! The information collected in this survey will help to guide local leaders to strengthen outdoor recreation assets and associated economic opportunities in the town.

The Town of Valdese is an excellent place to work. With friendly co-workers, challenging duties, and an opportunity to interact with the citizens of the best town in America, seeking employment with the Town is a wonderful career decision. 

Burke County Property Revaluation notices have been mailed out. Not sure what that means to you? Or how to appeal? Click the button below for more details.