As the Burke River Trail Association (BRTA) works to connect all nine towns in Burke County with a trail, we’re also supporting downtown revitalization. In Glen Alpine, that means creating a new gathering space at Bridge and Linville Streets — the western terminus of the Burke River Trail.
This space will feature restrooms, picnic shelter, parking, and an open green for concerts and events — no more rented porta-johns. Grading is underway, and funding is in place for the core infrastructure.
We now need to raise $35,000 for a 24x40ft picnic shelter on a poured pad.
Current Funding Secured:
$125,000 State Appropriation
$55,000 Town of Glen Alpine
$22,000 BRTA
$5,120 Community Donations
Total Raised: $207,120 (covers grading, engineering, utilities, parking, restrooms, open green)
Once the shelter is funded, additional donations will support benches, picnic tables, bike racks, and trash cans — helping create a fully welcoming, usable space.
Looking ahead, this asset can grow with the community. Future additions could include a pavilion stage, public art, a town history kiosk, and even a storybook trail — all helping to celebrate Glen Alpine’s identity and bring people together.
This park is a meaningful investment in a community that could use a boost. It’s a jump start for downtown energy, connection, and pride that will carry forward for generations.
Many thanks to these donors who helped us reach $5120 (March 2025)-
Patsy & Reid Scott $2000
Case Farms $1000
GA United Methodist Church $1000
Tea Tree $200
Jim & Jill Bonkowske $200
Glen Alpine Ruritan Club $120
Gary & Debbie Meise $100
Beth Heile $100
Mimi Phifer $100
Waiting for the Trail $100
WNC Real Estate Inc $100
Graham Anderson $100
Cook Appraisal, Inc $100
Table Rock Family Medicine $100
Park donations can be made to the Burke River Trail Association. Checks mailed to 204 E Main Street, Valdese 28690. Or, via paypal
Background
Because the Burke River Trail Association’s focus areas include revitalizing communities and promoting civic engagement, the nonprofit has been helping with the downtown park design, acquiring funding, and creating a community volunteer group.
In early 2024, Burke River Trail Association spent $10,000 on a park plan, rendering and budget needed to apply for a NCPARTF grant. In addition, as a requirement of the grant, presentations were made to the local Ruritan Club, Women’s Club, Scout Troop and the Public to share the plan and gather feedback. The grant was not awarded, but the park is moving ahead.
In October, 2024, the Glen Alpine Board of Aldermen, voted to proceed with the Downtown Park without the playground, citing safety concerns. West Consultants was hired for the engineering. Since that time, Alderman Reid Scott and BRTA ED Beth Heile have been meeting with the surveyor, engineer, grader and contractor. Grading started in late March 2025.
There is $185,020 to spend on the park (March 2025)
- $125,000 State Appropriation
- $25,000 Existing Town Park Account
- $30,000 Town of Glen Alpine
- $5120 Community Donations
Park amenities in phase one will include
- Picnic Shelter
- Event Lawn
- Restroom
- Parking
- Entrance Sign and Kiosk
- Landscaping
The original plan (shown on left) created based on public input has been adapted to remove the playground, add more parking spaces and include a two room restroom.
Per the recommendation of Mayor Lewis, Alderman Reid Scott has been overseeing Burke River Trail Association’s work with the Glen Alpine Downtown Park. Timeline since October 14, 2024 meeting where Aldermen approved moving forward with park:
- Oct 17 – Meeting with Grant Giauque with True North Surveying, boundary, topo, staking for grading
- Nov 20 – Meeting with West Consulting to discuss changes in original plan, engineering services
- Jan 17 – First draft of engineering plans from West – decided to tweak the restroom to include storage area and wiring/plumbing closet
- Feb 12 – Meeting onsite with Jonathan Holden Construction as General Contractor
- Feb 27 – Final Grading Plan Ready – Driveway Permit submitted to DOT
- Mar 14 – Driveway Permit Approved
- Waiting on NCDOT meeting to discuss sewer tap location, discussions have been ongoing with City of Morganton regarding sewer/water
- June 11 – Sewer/Water tap installed
Since Glen Alpine is the western terminus of the Burke River Trail, the Burke River Trail Association has been helping with the trailhead park design and grant application. The next effort will be a one mile section of trail or sidewalk that Glen Alpine residents and businesses could enjoy along Watermill Glen Alpine Rd to get to the river. The route would provide an out and back 2 mile path for health (physical, mental and social), transportation (homes to town, from town to the water) and economic development opportunities in downtown.
With the grant being submitted in April 2024, it was announced in August that the NC Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant was not awarded. The application for the $380,000 project used $190,000 in local funding to match $190,000 from the state. Local funding is made up of
- $125,000 State Appropriation
- $25,000 Existing Town Park Account
- $10,000 Burke River Trail Association
- $30,000 Town of Glen Alpine
Park amenities in the phase one 2024 grant application included
- Playground with Fence
- Picnic Shelter
- Event Lawn
- Restroom
- Parking
- Entrance Sign and Kiosk
- Landscaping
Future amenities include
- Pavilion
- Art Sculpture
- Story Book Trail
- Town History Kiosk
- More Parking
- More Playground Equipment
- Signage at Intersection
At the April 2024 Glen Alpine Aldermen meeting, Beth Heile, Burke River Trail Executive Director, shared that based on the funds available at that time, a restroom would not be included in phase one construction of the park. The aldermen made the decision to commit $30,000 to the project so the amenity would be included.