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Wednesday, July 3, 2019
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Volume 85 • Issue 27
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Rapid progress being made on new Belmont Middle School By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
An amazing amount of progress has been made on the new Belmont Middle School since ground was officially broken for it on a rainy day back in April. A tour of the project last week illustrated just exactly how much hard worked has been poured into the project since that time. Exterior walls are up for the two story main classroom building. This structure will also be the location for the cafeteria, media center, and hallways. So far, three exterior walls are done for the gym. A committee has selected colors and the pattern for the brickwork that will encase the exterior. Inside the buildings, steel beams are being placed where they need
Here’s how the new Belmont Middle School will look when completed. to be. Roofs over the buildings are next on the list of major projects to tackle. Projects on the campus that are underway includes grading for the athletic fields. Entrances and exits onto South Point Rd. are also being created. The NCDOT is studying just exactly where stop lights will be positioned on South Point Rd. for the school. Last week, curbs and grading were being done on
the McKee Farm Lane entrance. Gaston Schools executive director of auxiliary services Morgen Houchard has been closely monitoring the construction progress. “The project is on schedule,” he said. “I am very pleased with the progress.” Belmont Middle School principal Susan Redmon is also staying updated on the See SCHOOL, Page 2
Gaston Schools executive director of auxiliary services Morgen Houchard and Belmont Middle School principal Susan Redmond survey the progress being made on the new school being built on South Point Rd. Photo by Alan Hodge
Belmont’s Linford Park to get important upgrade By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
Our area played a big role in fight for freedom By Alan Hodge alan@cfmedia.info
July 4th is just around the corner so let’s stop and take a look at some of the local people and places that
played a big role in the founding of our nation. Patterson Springs in southern Cleveland County is a quiet community with a long history. Six miles south of the crossroads of NC 226
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and NC 180 is the former site of a Revolutionary War-era site once known as Graham’s Fort. Now occupied by a house that is part modern and See FREEDOM, Page 4
Thanks to a $30,000 Meet Me at the Park grant from the Walt Disney Co. and the National Parks and Recreation Association, Belmont’s Linford Park will be getting some much needed and innovative playground equipment very soon. Belmont was one of just 25 cities nationwide to receive one of the grants. Belmont Parks and Rec. director Zip Stowe applied for it. “We are a member of the NPRA and they sent an email about the grant,” Stowe said. “I applied back in January. It was a nice surprise when I found out we had been selected.” One of Belmont’s smallest recreational facilities, Linford Park is about three acres in size and located on Cason St. in North Belmont. Currently, the park consists of a grassy area, one picnic table, a basketball goal, and a
These kids were spending some time at Linford Park last week. From left- Katlyn Lamberth, Alana Singleton, Landon Lamberth, Jacob Lamberth. Photo by Alan Hodge couple of benches. “There’s not that much out there,” said Stowe. “But it’s got a ton of potential.” The grant will help that potential be realized. The
plan is to use the grant funds, which the city must match, to have handicapped accessible playground equipment installed. See PARK, Page 4
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