More than $1 million awarded in Dare County tourism grants

Public accesses, trail markers, sidewalk additions and solar-powered lighting are included in a number of recently awarded projects that aim to enhance tourism in Dare County.

The Dare County Tourism Board last month awarded 12 area nonprofits and government entities in the county a total of $1.16 million in Tourism Impact Grants.

“Our Tourism Impact Grants are an example of how we can leverage the power of tourism to enhance the quality of life for our residents and quality of place for our visitors, helping to protect our natural environment and preserve our rich history and culture,” Lee Nettles, Executive Director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau said in a release. “Since 1993, the Dare County Tourism Board’s restricted fund grants have supported 221 awards to 47 local non-profits and municipalities, resulting in $19.54 million for programs and services that provide a tangible and sustained benefit for our community.”

Projects that will be covered in this latest round of grants include replacing two public access boardwalks in Avon, restoring the 1874 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station’s western façade, 10 new trail markers at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, adding solar-powered lighting to a dozen crosswalks along N.C. 12 in Kitty Hawk, sidewalk additions and shoreline protection.

Dare County Commissioners unanimously consented to the grants during the boards December meeting. 

The tourism board sponsors the grants each year for projects including multiuse paths, beach accesses, environmental sustainability initiatives and infrastructure programs at cultural and historical attractions.

“The Tourism Impact Grant we received will support our efforts to create a new educational trail at Jockey’s Ridge State Park – the Ten Points of Interest Trail – enhancing the experience for more than one million park visitors each year,” Friends of Jockey’s Ridge Executive Director Colette Walker said in a release. “Creating a new trail with interactive components and a curriculum guide will allow children and adults to gai more in-depth knowledge of the unique ecosystems and history of our 427 acres as we approach the 50^th anniversary of the park in 2025 and beyond.”